Entwined Destinies
by XtremeGal87
Summary: Aki ran away to the Satellite when she was young, and encountered Team Satisfaction. She and Yusei hit it off, but of course nothing ever goes as planned...will they see each other again, after she's dragged back to the city? Summary inside! Faithshipping
1. Destiny Begins

_**A/N:**_ Hi everyone!! Welcome to my newest Faithshipping (Yusei x Aki) story! Please let me explain a couple of things real quick: first, I really can't say I remember where this idea came from. It just struck me one day and so I'm running with it; hopefully it'll end up well!! Second, this story is sort of a partial AU because of how I'm working it; it starts off before the anime and some fundamental things will be changed because of my alterations. However it won't change a lot, really (I don't think) so hopefully this'll work. It's also important to note that I will only be dealing with the anime up through the Dark Signers arc, and I will not be dealing with anything beyond that (directly), just because it would take _**forever**_! I hope that won't disappoint anyone! That said, as always please forgive minor OOCness and/or errors as I'm only human, but above all, please enjoy the story!

**Summary:** Team Satisfaction stumbles upon a girl named Aki in need of help. Yusei continues to run into her over the days that follow, and soon enough they become friends. Their relationship continues to develop even while Team Satisfaction is making their rounds in the Satellite, but what happens when Aki suddenly disappears while Yusei is out with the others? And what secrets is she hiding? Will Yusei ever see her again?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds in any way, shape, or form.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 1: Destiny Begins**

**Fifteen year** old Yusei Fudo sighed as he listened to his friends bicker. They weren't really arguing, but after nearly half-an-hour of it, it was still getting on his nerves. He wondered how Kiryu was putting up with it.

The four of them were resting on the sidewalk, just a couple of yards away from an intersection. The intersection itself was what had spawned the entire 'argument' to begin with.

Yusei was sitting on an old box that was filled with something he was trying not to think about, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his head hang forward slightly as he tried to drown out his friends. The sun reflected off of his duel disk, reminding him that it was past noon and none of them had even eaten yet.

To his left and somewhere just out of his peripheral vision, Kiryu was leaning against the wall of the building behind them. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his attention was clearly elsewhere, his eyes unseeingly following the shapes of the clouds in the smoggy sky.

Jack was standing in front of Kiryu, to Yusei's direct left, and glaring at Crow as he waited impatiently for his turn to speak. The expression on his face was making Yusei rethink his earlier assumption that they weren't really arguing.

Crow was standing before the group, facing Jack with his back to the street, and waving his hands as he spoke. "Just because you don't _**like**_ that guy in the Undead Gang doesn't mean we should go after them next. C'mon, it's smarter to head to the South Side and take out those fairy-duelists first. You know I'm right."

"I know no such thing," Jack argued immediately. "The Undead Gang is stronger, if we start there then your little fairy friends will be even _**easier**_ to take out; they'll be too scared to put up a decent fight."

"Or we'd be giving too much away," Crow countered. "We don't want to let every duel-gang out there know exactly how good we really are yet, or they might actually have time to think up a good defense strategy."

"You know what I think?" Jack said, suddenly looking smug and crossing his arms. "I think you're just scared to take on a _**real**_ duel-gang, and that's why you keep throwing out these lame excuses."

Yusei cringed and held his breath. Crow wouldn't stand for being called a chicken, and someone was going to have to separate them. He was pretty sure it'd be him.

"Scared?" Crow repeated incredulously. "I ain't scared! It's not my fault I'm trying to think with my _**head**_, you self-centered-!"

"We're going after the Magicians," Kiryu declared easily, cutting through their argument and stopping whatever Crow had been about to say. The three of them looked over at him, startled at the intrusion. He hadn't spoken since the argument had begun.

"We are?" Yusei asked, confused at the choice.

"Why them?" Jack demanded.

Kiryu met the blonde's gaze and shrugged nonchalantly as he pushed off of the wall. "They'll have heard of us, but probably won't really believe we're any threat. So we'll make a statement with them." He shrugged again, as if to say, 'that's all.'

Jack frowned but uncrossed his arms. "Fine, then, we'll go after the Magicians. But how do you intend to _**find**_ them?"

Kiryu's face curved into a smirk and he said, "Well, for that, we'd need bait."

"Then I volunteer Crow," Jack declared.

"Why me?" Crow asked, one eyebrow raised high up his forehead.

"Because you look like a hot-head," Jack explained. "And they won't question your rash decision to challenge one of them, once you get their attention of course."

"Jack's right," Kiryu agreed, stepping forward and pulling his hands from his pockets. "You'll just make a scene, get their attention, and get them to drag you into their lair so that they can make an example of you. Then once you've got 'em feeling all self-assured, we'll show up and wipe the floor with them."

Crow looked hesitant as Kiryu spoke, and didn't immediately say anything. The group was silent for a long moment; Kiryu waiting patiently, Crow thinking, Jack smiling smugly, and Yusei watching indifferently. Finally, Crow opened his mouth to say something, but the sound that followed did not come from him.

"Just leave me alone!" an unfamiliar girl's voice cried from around the corner.

All four of them turned their attention immediately in her direction, and after a half-second's thought, Yusei was on his feet and the four of them were running.

* * *

**Aki Izayoi** glared at the man before her from beneath the hood of her faded brown cloak. He'd been following her for several blocks, slowly closing the gap between them, so she'd decided to confront him before he could back her into a corner.

"What do you want with me?" she hissed angrily, her fists clenched at her sides.

The man's lazy, stupid smirk was all the answer she needed, but he spoke anyway. "I just wanna get to know ya cutie," he replied.

Her eyes narrowed and she tightened her grip on the half-full plastic bag in her right hand. "Well the feeling's not mutual, so go bother someone else."

"Aw, don't be like that," he insisted, taking another step closer. He was older than her by several years and his legs were longer, so his stride covered more ground. His single step brought him far too close for comfort. "I could be your best friend," he promised.

"Maybe I don't want your friendship," Aki spat, taking a step backwards. "Go away already," she added, hoping she sounded firm and confident. This man was creeping her out. With a final pointed look, she turned and began to fast-walk away. Or at least she tried to.

He reached out quickly and snatched her left wrist, forcing her to turn partially back around. "I don't want to go away," he snarled, his grip tightening. "Not yet anyway."

Aki's eyes widened and she struggled to get her hand back. "Let me go," she demanded. She could feel her anger burning inside of her. She had to get away. "Just leave me alone!"

"Now why would I do that?" the man replied, pulling her closer. "It'd be a damn shame to leave a girl as pretty as you all alone in a place like this."

"You're disgusting," Aki stated, trying in vain to free her arm. The closer he pulled her, the more she could smell him. He reeked as if he hadn't showered in weeks. "I'm warning you," she tried again, "let me go!"

"Who's gonna make me?" the man asked tauntingly.

"I'm pretty sure that's where we come in," a new voice called from somewhere beyond them, near the corner Aki had been trying to get to.

Aki and her captor looked over, though he still didn't release her wrist, to see the newcomers. Aki felt the first faint flickering of hope within her chest as her eyes fell on the four men standing there. Each of them wore brown tattered jackets with no sleeves, bands over their biceps, and well-worn jeans. Each of them wore duel-disks on their left arms. And the shortest one, the red-head, had a mark on his forehead that indicated he'd been in the Facility.

_They must be some sort of duel-gang,_ Aki realized. Their clothes matched far too much for that, plus their choice of accessory, to be a simple coincidence. Not that it mattered to her one way or another. With four witnesses, she stood a chance at getting out of this relatively unscathed.

"Who the hell're you punks?" her attacker demanded, still not loosening his grip.

Aki cringed silently from the pain in her wrist. She was sure it would bruise.

"We're the guys who're gonna make you let go of that girl," the one in the red T-shirt called. He was one who'd spoken before. From this angle, Aki couldn't tell if his hair was white or really light platinum.

The man behind her laughed. "You're a bunch of _**kids**_," he began, "you ain't makin' me do jack."

The red-head seemed to snicker slightly at his choice of words, but Aki couldn't wonder long as to why, because her attacker suddenly tugged sharply on her arm, pulling her back flush against his chest. The movement made her cry out and caused her to drop the bag she'd been carrying. He immediately clamped his other arm around her shoulders to limit her struggling.

"Get lost boys," he called, "this girly's mine; go find your own toy."

"I'm not a _**toy**_!" Aki ground out as she tried in vain to pry his arm off of her.

"Is that your final answer?" the same guy asked, directing his question clearly to her attacker.

"What do you think?" he demanded, sounding annoyed.

"Just checking," he said almost casually. Then, suddenly, the other three sprinted forward, quickly covering the distance that separated them.

The tall blonde reached them first, fluidly pulling his left fist back and throwing it forward, into the man's face. Simultaneously, the one with the strange raven-and-gold hair reached forward and slipped one arm around her waist, easily pulling her out of the vile man's now-loosened grasp.

The red-head and the blonde stepped between her and her attacker as he struggled to his feet, clutching his nose.

"Are you alright?" the raven-and-gold haired man asked her softly.

Aki started at his voice and looked up, into his deep blue eyes. They reminded her of the ocean, or the midnight sky; so easy to get lost in. She blinked and finally offered him a half-smile as she reached up and pushed the hood off of her head.

"I think so," she replied quietly.

"You dropped this," the one in the red T-shirt declared, suddenly standing with them, as he held out her bag.

"Oh," she said, reaching for it, "thank you."

A loud thud made her cringe and turn partially back around, despite her overwhelming desire to never lay eyes on that man again. Her attacker was moaning, barely conscious, and lying on his back.

"So, I take it you two don't need help?" red T-shirt asked teasingly, speaking to his friends.

Both boys turned back to face them, and the red-head grinned. "Nah, we got it covered."

Up close, Aki could see that her attacker had been right about one thing. They were younger than she'd initially thought. They looked like they were about her age, give or take a few months.

"So are you ok?" the red-head asked suddenly, looking straight at her.

Aki blushed from the attention and bowed her head slightly, muttering, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a couple of bruises. Thank you all so much for helping me."

"You're welcome," red T-shirt said sincerely.

Aki offered them a small smile, her blush vanishing, and said, "I guess I'll be heading home now. Thanks again." Then she turned and began walking towards the corner, in the direction she'd been heading earlier.

She'd taken barely four steps when the raven-and-gold haired boy called out, "Wait."

Confused and slightly curious, Aki turned and replied, "Yes?"

His friends were also looking at him with varying expressions of confusion, but his blue gaze never wavered from her face. "This isn't exactly a safe neighborhood," he began, "would you like us to walk with you?"

Aki hesitated, taking in his friends' reactions to his question. The blonde heaved a silent sigh and rolled his eyes, the red-head seemed to chuckle again, and the other one gave a slight shake of his head. When she looked back to the fourth one, she could see a sincerity in his eyes that convinced her.

A small, genuine smile curved her lips and she said, "If you really don't mind, I think I'd like that."

"We don't mind," he assured her easily. His friends' expressions did not contradict his words.

Adjusting her grip on her shopping bag, Aki extended her right hand and said, "I'm Aki."

The boys fell in a loose line as they approached her, and the raven-and-gold haired one reached her first, accepting her hand. "Yusei," he said.

Red T-Shirt stepped up next with an easy smile and introduced himself as Kiryu. The red-head popped up after him, declaring his name to be Crow and that she shouldn't let his marker worry her. The blonde rounded out the group, introducing himself as Jack. But what caught her attention was the brief tingling in her arm when their hands touched. It was coming from that wretched mark, which was concealed beneath her sleeve.

Once the introductions were over, she half-turned to the street again and said, "It's this way."

When she started walking, Yusei and Crow fell into step on either side of her. Kiryu and Jack fell in line behind them, just a couple of paces back. The image of an armed dueling escort in her head brought a slight grin to her lips.

* * *

**They walked** mostly in silence for several minutes as Aki navigated the sidewalk until they'd reached her 'home.' It was a two-story house on a side-street, with two steps leading up to the door. The paint was peeling off in large chunks all along the walls, and the window to the right of the door had a large crack where it looked like a rock had been thrown at it. The heavy door was solidly shut and locked, so Aki had to retrieve the spare key.

"You live here all alone?" Crow asked, his tone clearly indicating that that didn't seem like a good idea to him.

"No," Aki said as she stretched to pull the key off of the top of the doorframe. "I share it with a couple of siblings who were looking for a renter. Most of this place belongs to them. I think."

"Well, at least you're not all by yourself," Crow allowed.

Aki shrugged. "Yeah, I guess," she mumbled softly. After a second, she looked at her escorts and added, "Thanks so much for your help today. And for walking me home."

Yusei offered her a gentle smile, saying, "It wasn't a problem."

"Yeah, if you want to thank us, try staying _**away**_ from people like him," Jack suggested.

Kiryu elbowed him sharply before adding, "What Jack meant to say is, stay safe. It's kind of dangerous out here."

Aki nodded. "Believe me, I intend to stay away from people like him."

"Good," Kiryu said, "in that case, it looks like our job's done. C'mon, guys, we've got things to do today, and I'm hungry."

"Goodbye," Aki called as they turned to walk away.

Yusei looked back at her, pausing for a second to meet her amber gaze. His expression softened marginally and he said, "Take care, Aki."

* * *

**Aki sank** onto her bed, the cloak tossed over the chair in the corner of the room and her bag of grocery supplies on the small desk. Her mind was replaying that afternoon's events. The utter terror she'd done her best to ignore earlier, when she'd for once wanted to embrace her anger, when that man had attacked her. She was young, but she wasn't stupid. She knew what he'd been after. Her body shuddered just thinking about it.

But what she couldn't get past was the expression on Yusei's face right before they'd walked away. When he'd told her to 'take care', he'd actually looked like he _**meant**_ it. She wasn't used to that. _But it's not like anyone here knows _**anything**_ about me. So maybe he did mean it; maybe he's a good person. If he knew what I can do…that I'm not a normal human being, he wouldn't have cared so much. No one does._

And that thought reminded her of the other strange occurrence of the afternoon. That bizarre tingling in her arm. Reluctantly, she raised her right arm and rolled back the sleeve of her shirt so that she could clearly see the crimson mark burned into her flesh. _Since I've been in the Satellite, it hasn't flared up once. Not even a little. I just figured it would stay that way as long as I don't duel. But then why did it act up when I shook Jack's hand? I wasn't dueling, I wasn't angry with him, I wasn't sad; none of the usual triggers applies to that._

Her frustration mounted as she thought about it, and she found herself once again glaring at the mark. Her right hand curled into a fist reflexively. _What does it all mean? What did I ever do to deserve this wretched thing? I was hoping that living in the Satellite would keep it from causing me pain; that maybe I could live a normal life! Is it going to ruin _**everything**_?!_

An angry sigh escaped from her lips and she dropped her arm, collapsing on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. She let the anger flow out of her prone body and did her best to keep her mind quiet for several long minutes. Finally, when she knew the anger was gone, she whispered, "I just have to believe that I can do this. I can make myself a life here in the Satellite, where no one knows me. I know I can."

* * *

**"I've been **thinking," Crow declared as they rounded the corner, walking away from Aki's house.

"Thanks for the warning," Jack mumbled teasingly.

Yusei chuckled as Kiryu grinned and asked, "Alright, I'll bite. What've you been thinking about?"

"Well, it seems to me that our good buddy Yusei has a crush," Crow explained.

Yusei's eyes widened and his feet suddenly wouldn't move, despite his commands. "What?!"

Jack and Kiryu burst into loud laughter at his reaction, and Crow quickly joined them. Yusei could feel his face turning red, and the worst part was that it had nothing to do with anger.

"What makes you think that?" Yusei demanded.

"The way you kept staring at her?" Crow offered with a smirk.

Yusei tried a different approach. "Why would I have a crush on a girl I haven't even known for an hour?"

Kiryu was smirking now, one hand resting on his hip. "Because she's cute?"

"Plus, we all know how much you love protecting people, and she made a pretty good damsel back there," Jack added.

"And you were the one who suggested we should walk her home," Kiryu continued.

Yusei frowned. "It was the right thing to do."

Crow waved him off, saying, "Yeah, yeah. That was just an excuse."

"I do _**not**_ have a crush on her," Yusei stated firmly. His friends looked less than convinced, but Kiryu apparently decided he was done teasing him, because he reminded them then that their current conversation wasn't helping satisfy his hunger. And so they continued walking, in search of some decent and affordable food.

As they walked, Yusei remained silent, contemplating. _It would be completely ridiculous to have a crush on a girl I only just met. A girl that, for that matter, I'll probably never see again._ He paused when he realized that the thought made him feel saddened, like he'd lost something that he knew had the potential to be significant. _Of course, I suppose sometimes life _**is**_ kind of ridiculous…._

"Earth to Yusei?" Crow called, waving his hand in front of Yusei's face.

Yusei blinked, refocusing on his surroundings, and realized that they were standing before a fast food shop. "Uh, yeah?" he asked hesitantly.

Kiryu chuckled and repeated his earlier question, "Burgers ok with you?"

"Yeah, of course," Yusei quickly said, deciding not to comment on his inattentiveness.

Kiryu and Crow flashed him knowing smirks but said nothing, and Jack pretended as though he hadn't noticed anything unusual at all, leading the way into the shop. When their backs were all turned as they filed inside, Yusei sighed silently and shook his head. It was going to be a long day.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Alright, there's chapter one! Please tell me what you thought! Now, I realize that you might have a handful of questions, but please be patient, hopefully they'll all be answered in the next couple of chapters. That said, of course, feel free to ask me; if it's not the kind of question the story will answer in time, I'll be happy to clear it up for you! So, for now, please review and don't forget to go on to chapter two!!


	2. Unexpected Situations

_**A/N:**_ Hello again! Thanks for deciding to give my story a shot!! So, as just a simple reminder, please keep in mind that this is probably about half AU (this will eventually make sense if it doesn't now, I promise). I don't have anything new to say really, other than to please also remember that the guys are a bit younger than we're used to them right now, so if they sort of act like it occasionally, I probably did it on purpose. Hopefully. Anyway, please enjoy chapter two!!

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill; I own absolutely nothin' related to this fic, other than (maybe) the vague idea. But that's probably debatable too….

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 2: Unexpected Situations**

**"Hey, Yusei,** is it fixed yet?" Crow called as he let himself into Yusei's small home.

"Hey, Crow, c'mon in," Yusei called back teasingly, looking up to flash a smirk at his friend before returning his attention to Crow's damaged duel disk. It had taken quite a beating during his interaction with the Magicians.

Crow rolled his eyes and pulled out the chair opposite his friend, turning it around and straddling it casually. "Well, I would've knocked, but you don't exactly have a door…"

"You never knocked when I did," Yusei replied easily.

"Fair enough. So, is it fixed yet?"

"Just about," Yusei said without looking up. "I just have to -"

"How long?" Crow interrupted, not wanting to give himself a headache by trying to understand whatever his friend was about to say.

Yusei grinned and finally looked up, saying, "Give me two more hours."

Crow sighed dramatically and stood. "Two whole hours? Yeah, ok, I guess I can find something to do for two hours."

Yusei chuckled and returned his attention to the duel-disk. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll be fine for two more hours."

Crow was already half way out the door, so he called over his shoulder, "Thanks again, Yusei!"

* * *

**Aki sat** down at the kitchen table, her freshly-made sandwich in hand. "Mm, lunch," she whispered as she lifted the simple creation to her lips.

That was when the door to her borrowed home crashed open and Naoko, the oldest of the siblings that owned the building, stormed inside. She looked furious, a scowl set on her face. Her dark brown eyes were narrowed and glazed over as if she were thinking about something not related to where she was. She was holding the apron from her job in one hand, that hand curled into a fist so tightly that Aki could almost see the whites of her knuckles.

Naoko slammed the door shut and stomped over to the kitchen, tossing the apron down and yanking open the refrigerator door. After a second, she growled, "How the hell do we not have any food in this place?"

Aki looked down guiltily at her lunch. She'd known she was using the last of the lunchmeat, but no one was supposed to be home for lunch that day, so it shouldn't have mattered. _Still, it's not my house, and I can't afford to be kicked out._

"Here," Aki said calmly, holding out the uneaten sandwich. "It's all we have left for lunches. I was planning to go shopping later."

Naoko turned and looked at the sandwich. A long second paused before she took the offering and grabbed a knife, slicing it cleanly in half from corner to corner. Then she held out one half to Aki. "Thanks, Aki, but I can share. I'm sorry if I startled you; I'm just in a foul mood is all."

Aki nodded, understanding anger better than her roommate realized, and took the half-sandwich. "I understand," she assured her.

The nineteen year old slumped into a chair and nibbled at her lunch. "My boss decided to replace me with some seventeen year old tramp," she muttered.

Aki cringed. "Do you need me to go find a job?"

"No," Naoko asserted, "you're still too young for work. You're still fourteen, aren't you?"

"Yes," Aki admitted, "but I don't mind."

Naoko shook her head. "I'll just find a new one, and we'll have to be more careful until I do. When does Takuya get home usually?"

"In a couple of hours," Aki said.

"Ok," Naoko replied, nodding her head. Then she swallowed the rest of her lunch and stood. "I'm going job-hunting. When you go shopping, try to get only what we need. We might need that money to stretch longer than usual."

Aki nodded as well but did not get up. "Alright, I'll do my best. Good luck."

"Thanks," Naoko called before she disappeared out the door.

* * *

_**Man, where**__ the hell could he be?_ Yusei wondered as he slowly wandered down yet another street in search of his red-headed friend. He'd finished Crow's duel-disk nearly forty minutes earlier than he'd anticipated and so he'd gone looking for his teammate. Now, nearly an hour later, he still hadn't found him anywhere.

As he rounded the corner, searching the other side of the street in hopes of spotting his friend, he collided solidly with another warm body.

"Oh!" a female voice cried in surprise as she rebounded off of his chest.

Yusei stepped back to steady himself and reached out to catch her before she fell. When the shock had worn off, he realized that he recognized the wide amber eyes staring up at him.

"Aki?" he asked reflexively.

"Yusei! Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" Aki said quickly, her cheeks flushing as she inclined her head, embarrassed.

"No, it's ok, I wasn't paying attention, either," Yusei assured her.

Aki looked up at him and her lips curved upwards ever-so-slightly. "Hi again," she said almost awkwardly.

He returned her smile, saying, "Hey," even as he appraised her. She was wearing her traveling cloak again, this time with the hood down. Her medium-length hair was loose around her shoulders, framing her pale face. Beneath her cloak she wore faded black jeans and what looked like a red shirt.

Hoping she hadn't noticed his appraisal, Yusei asked, "So how're you?"

The slightest shrug lifted her shoulders briefly before she replied, "I'm alright I guess. I haven't been attacked again."

A bitter chuckle rumbled up in his chest before he said, "Well that's good."

Her amber eyes danced with a similar humor. "I think so." Here she paused before asking, "How about you?"

"I'm pretty good," he replied truthfully.

Aki's eyes finally landed on the spare duel-disk he held in his right hand and she lifted a curious brow. "What's with the extra duel-disk?"

"Oh, this is actually -"

"Yusei! Hey, buddy!" Crow's voice called from somewhere behind Yusei.

Both Yusei and Aki turned and watched as Crow jogged up to them. When he came to a stop, taking in a couple of deep breaths, Yusei said, "You know I've been looking all over for you."

Crow grinned. "I fell asleep," he said.

Yusei frowned. "I went to your place, and I know where your spare key is."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't there. I fell asleep on a roof." Crow laughed good-naturedly and eyed the duel-disk. "So it's fixed?"

Yusei held the machine out to his friend easily. "It's good as new; I even pounded the dents out. But do me a favor; next time we use you as bait, try not to break your duel-disk, ok?"

Crow grinned as he slipped it back into place on his left wrist. "Aw, c'mon Yusei, where's the fun in that?"

Yusei sighed and shook his head. "You're impossible," he murmured.

"Yep," Crow replied, still grinning. Then he looked over at Aki, who was watching them silently, and added, "Nice seeing you again, Aki."

"You, too," she said.

"Right, well, I've got people to find and duels to win, so I'll catch you guys later!" Crow declared suddenly, waving and jogging quickly across the street.

* * *

**As they** watched him run off, Aki asked, "So you repaired his duel-disk?"

"Yeah," Yusei replied, "he got it pretty banged up the other day. Took me probably about thirty-three hours to get it fixed right."

Aki looked up at him, stunned by his response. "How do you even know _**how**_ to fix those things?"

Yusei shrugged casually, saying, "I sort of just taught myself I guess. It's not like we have a repair shop around here for those kinds of things."

"That's…impressive," Aki declared.

"Uh, well, thanks," Yusei said awkwardly. Then he saw the slightly-crumpled paper in her hands and remembered that she actually had been going somewhere when they'd collided. "I imagine you were actually trying to get somewhere a minute ago, right?"

Aki's eyes widened and she looked back down at the shopping list in her hand. "Yeah, actually…grocery shopping. We're out of food again."

Yusei caught a glimpse of the list as she examined it again, frowning, and he said, "It looks kind of long…do you need any help?"

She looked up, surprised by his offer. After a second, she smiled at him. "Oh, no, thanks. I can handle it by myself; I always do."

"You sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure, but thanks for the offer," she replied.

Yusei nodded, accepting her response. "Well, then I won't keep you. Have fun."

"Yeah, thanks. See you around?" she asked hesitantly; she wasn't entirely sure that was the appropriate thing to say, but she found herself hoping it would be true.

He offered her a smile that made her heart flutter. "I hope so," he said softly.

Aki blushed and smiled weakly before ducking her head out of habit and walking away. She didn't want to say something to make the situation more awkward; he didn't seem to hate her yet.

* * *

**Yusei watched** her walk away, feeling like an idiot. _What sort of response is 'I hope so?' How does that _**not**_ make things weird? Man, I have absolutely no experience with this sort of thing. Maybe I should talk to Kiryu or Jack…they've had girlfriends. Or so they say._ He physically cringed when he realized what thought had just crossed his mind, and he quickly turned and continued in the direction he'd been walking. As he walked, he tried to think about the next gang they were planning to go up against, to distract himself.

Several minutes later, he was walking in the general direction of Team Satisfaction's hangout, when he spotted the unusual sight of two Sector Security agents walking in his direction. Security was rarely seen in the living area of the Satellite; they preferred to police the markets. But that didn't mean he wouldn't get in trouble if they saw him walking around with a duel-disk. After all, who would carry a duel-disk if they didn't have a deck to go with it?

So Yusei quickly ducked into the nearest alley to let them pass. He was pretty sure they hadn't seen him yet, as they'd been looking over a file and talking amongst themselves. Not to mention they hadn't shouted at him.

After several torturous seconds, the agents finally reached his hideout, clearly unaware of his presence within. As they passed, he caught a piece of their conversation.

" - said they thought they saw her in this neighborhood earlier today," the taller one said evenly.

"Yeah, but no one here has confirmed seeing her at all. Maybe your source is bogus," his partner suggested.

"Not with his freedom on the line," the first one argued. "If he said she was here, then she was -" his voice trailed off as they traveled out of Yusei's range of hearing.

When he was sure they were gone, Yusei eased out of the alley. As he quickly continued his path to their hangout, his mind wandered. _I wonder who they were looking for? Must be someone big to bring Security to this part of the Satellite._

* * *

**Yusei was** the last to arrive, nearly fifteen minutes later, to the hangout. Crow was sitting at the desk with his feet resting on the wooden top. Jack was leaning against the wall staring absently out the window. Kiryu was leaning over another part of the desk, looking at their map of the Satellite. It was divided into sections, and currently all but one of them was still clear.

"What took you so long?" Jack demanded without looking over at him.

Crow smirked as he answered, "I told you guys, he was flirting with Aki."

Yusei groaned at Crow's words. _I should've known that was why he ran off like that._

"So have you asked her out yet?" Kiryu asked teasingly, looking up from his map.

"Ha, ha," Yusei replied. To change the subject, he continued. "We should probably avoid Chameleon Lane today."

This got their attention, and even Jack looked over at him as Kiryu asked, "Why?"

"I saw a couple agents from Security wandering around; sounded like they were looking for someone."

"Well clearly they didn't see you," Jack pointed out.

Yusei nodded. "Yeah, I ducked into an alley as soon as I caught sight of them."

"Who're they looking for?" Crow asked curiously.

Yusei shrugged slightly. "I have no idea; some girl who was supposed to be in the area. That was all I got."

Kiryu nodded, his fingertips resting on the map. "Well, no worries, then. We don't need to be in that neighborhood anyway."

"So have you figured out where we're going next?" Crow asked eagerly.

Kiryu smirked as Yusei and Jack gathered around the desk silently. "Yes, my friends, I have figured out our next destination."

* * *

**That night,** Aki was curled up in bed, the comforter pulled up to her chin to ward off the cool night air as her mind wandered again. She couldn't seem to get Yusei out of her thoughts. _It's been nearly a week since that afternoon when he and his friends rescued me; I was so sure I'd never see any of them again. Running into Yusei today almost feels…planned or something. But that's ridiculous. Isn't it?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by angry voices in the hall beyond her door.

"Look, if you're not working, we need all the money we can get! We'll never make it if I'm the only one holding down a job!" Takuya, Naoko's seventeen year old brother, hissed angrily.

Naoko's voice was more hushed but no less angry. "Forget it, Takuya. I'll find another job; it's not like I'm not looking! And don't you talk to me about supporting this household; not long ago it was _**you**_ who didn't have a job!"

"Yeah, I know, but it's easier for men to find work in this town than women and you know it! Besides, I'm not suggesting _**you**_ go out and -"

"Don't you dare!" Naoko snapped, her voice rising slightly. "We are _**not**_ stooping that low, I don't care if we get thrown out on our asses! This conversation is over, Takuya."

"You need to be realistic," Takuya called after his sister. "Times are tough, Naoko, we may not have a choice."

Naoko called something back, but she was too far away for Aki to clearly make out what she'd said. Then Takuya grumbled something and his footsteps faded away in the opposite direction.

Aki rolled over, staring up at the ceiling. _I wonder what they were arguing about. I hope Naoko gets a new job soon; I really don't want to live in a house where my roommates are arguing all the time. But, then again, if she doesn't get a job…well, I probably won't have to worry about it anymore._

* * *

**Jack and **Crow had gone home for the night when Yusei turned to Kiryu. The sixteen year old leader of Team Satisfaction was packing up his few possessions that he'd brought with him, so that they wouldn't be left behind overnight.

Taking a deep breath, Yusei said, "Can I ask you something?"

Kiryu paused, confused by his friend's uncharacteristic uncertainty. "Sure," he replied.

"How do you know if you like a girl?" Yusei blurted, fighting desperately against the heat that wanted to rise to his cheeks.

A bark of laughter escaped Kiryu before he composed himself. Slinging the backpack over his shoulder, Kiryu joined his young friend and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, if you can't stop thinking about her, that's usually a good sign. And if you find yourself trying to list reasons you _**don't**_ like her, then probably you already do."

Yusei frowned as they descended the stairs to the street below. "But I hardly know her," he argued.

"That doesn't really matter," Kiryu stated matter-of-factly. "If you like someone, you like someone. Sometimes it just happens."

Yusei was quiet as he thought over this information.

Kiryu grinned, amused by his serious friend's confusion. "Relax, buddy. It's ok to have a crush on a girl, you know."

"But what am I supposed to do about it?"

"Well, what do you _**want**_ to do about it?"

Yusei hesitated, before finally admitting, "I really want to see her again."

Kiryu waited for a long moment, expecting his relationship-challenged friend to continue, and when he didn't, he said, "What _**else**_ do you want to do? Do you want to take her to dinner, do you want to duel her, do you want to see her naked, what?"

"Kiryu!" Yusei snapped, actually glaring up at his friend.

Kiryu held his hands up defensively. "Easy, Yusei, it was just a question. There're different kinds of 'like' you know, and you're certainly old enough to have those kinds of urges."

"I know how old I am," Yusei grumbled, not arguing Kiryu's point.

"Look, my point is, you have to decide what you want if you want to have a shot in hell of getting it. Ordinarily, I'd say go for it, you probably won't have a problem. But, and I mean this in a very unthreatening way, that girl's pretty cute. So who knows how many other guys she has barking at her door, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Yusei said, "I know what you mean. But do you think I should bother to try?"

"Hell yeah," Kiryu asserted as they rounded the corner that led to Yusei's place. "I'm sure at the very least you've got a decent chance, so it can't hurt."

Yusei was silent until they arrived in front of his new door.

"I see you got your door replaced," Kiryu commented.

"Yeah, came in this afternoon," Yusei replied. Turning to his friend, he said, "Thanks, Kiryu."

The taller man shrugged. "Don't worry about it, kid," he teased. "Just don't give up without a fight, you got it?"

Yusei smirked. "Do I ever?" he replied.

Kiryu laughed and clapped Yusei's shoulder one more time. "That's the spirit! Alright, I'm outta here, catch you tomorrow!"

"Night, Kiryu," Yusei called after his friend, before turning and letting himself into his home.

* * *

**Lying in** his bed later that night, after a hot shower and an easy dinner, Yusei's thoughts returned to the young girl he barely knew. _Kiryu says I should find her, and ask her out. And I want to, but how crazy is that, really? We've met twice; once when she was being attacked, and once again by accident earlier today. Sure, I know her name and where she lives, but do I really know her well enough to ask her out? Or, rather, does she feel comfortable enough around _**me**_ to even consider it? It seems kind of like a big jump from friendly acquaintance to 'hey, do you want to be my girlfriend?'_

Finally heaving a sigh, Yusei rolled onto his side. _Maybe I'll hold off for now. If I run into her again, or the opportunity presents itself, I'll consider it then. I mean, I don't want to make her think I'm a creep or something._

His decision made, he felt his eyelids getting heavy and decided to let himself drift off to sleep without a fight. That night, he dreamt of the beautiful young woman who'd snagged his attention. In his dream, she was surrounded by falling rose petals that slowly turned black as they descended closer to the ground. She was sad, and trying to stay out of his reach, but eventually she relented and he pulled her into his arms.

When the sun poured in through his window and dragged him out of bed the next morning, he groaned, remembering only swirling rose petals and holding her in his arms. _Great, now I'm dreaming about her. That'll complicate things._ With a sigh, he heaved himself out of bed to begin his day.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Alrighty, chapter two is done! I hope it's snagged your interest! Please let me know what you think so far, and please please stay tuned for chapter three!!


	3. Evolving Friendship

_**A/N:**_ Welcome to chapter three! I promise there'll be more Yusei x Aki development this chapter! LOL That said, please enjoy this installment in 'Entwined Destinies'!

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill by now; I still own nothing. Well, except Naoko and Takuya…they're products of my twisted imagination.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 3: Evolving Friendship**

**Three more** days passed before Yusei encountered Aki again. Having just left Team Satisfaction's hangout, Yusei was walking down an adjacent street when he saw her, sitting on a bench. The bench was on the other side of the street, but the street itself was completely deserted, so he changed course to head in her direction.

When he got to the bench he knew she hadn't seen him yet, so he said, "What's up?"

Aki started and looked up, clearly so lost in thought that she hadn't realized that anyone was there at all. When she saw him, she smiled. "Oh, hey, Yusei. Not much, I guess. How're you?"

Yusei smirked and moved to settle himself beside her on the bench. "Pretty good. What're you doing just sitting here?"

Aki shrugged faintly. "Nothing, really, I just sort of felt like sitting."

Yusei was silent for a beat, and a frown dipped his lips before he said, "Is something wrong?"

Aki blinked and looked over at him. "How did -? No, nothing's wrong, really. I guess I just have some things on my mind is all."

"Would it help to talk about them?" Yusei asked.

This time Aki looked away, her gaze settling on her sandal-clad feet. Her voice was quiet when she replied, "I don't think so, really. It's all out of my control; I just sort of have to sit and wait to see what'll happen."

"I see," Yusei said. After another moment, he placed his left hand on her shoulder and added, "You just have to believe that everything will work out the way it's supposed to, and you'll be fine."

Aki tensed briefly at the unexpected contact, but quickly relaxed, and turned her head to once again meet his gaze. A small, real smile curved her lips. "Thanks, Yusei."

He smiled back and released her shoulder, letting his hand return to his side. He was suddenly feeling a lot braver than he would've expected, so he said, "Listen, Aki, I was wondering about something…"

Her expression turned curious as his voice trailed off. "Oh?"

"Well, uh, would you like to -?" Yusei began, only to find himself cut off as an unknown man stepped up beside the bench, leering down over Aki.

"Hey, babe, what're you doin' hangin' out with this punk? You should be spendin' your quality time with a real man," he declared.

Aki shifted her attention up to him and glared at his insinuation. "Look, I don't know you, so leave me alone and go bother someone else, ok?"

The slightly lanky man dramatically pressed his left fist against his heart, revealing the duel-disk on his arm, as he spoke. "Don't be like that, beautiful. I just want to let you know that I appreciate you so much better than some kid ever could."

Yusei narrowed his eyes on the man who was ignoring him and spoke up before Aki could respond. "I have an idea," he stated pointedly.

"What do you want?" the man demanded, turning an annoyed look in Yusei's direction.

Yusei calmly held up his left arm, saying, "Why don't you and I have a duel? You win, and I'll get out of your way; but if I win, you have to leave her alone for good. Do you think you're up for it?"

The man scoffed arrogantly and took a step back from the bench. "You wanna duel me, kid? Fine; it won't take me any time at all to wipe the floor with you. You've got yourself a deal."

Aki turned a concerned look to Yusei as he stood and took a couple of steps away from the bench. "Yusei," she said, "you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," Yusei replied as he activated his duel-disk and slipped his deck into place. "Someone needs to teach him a lesson in manners."

"You think you're gonna _**teach**_ me something? Ha! Keep dreamin', boy!" the man called loudly.

A confident smirk formed on Yusei's face as he reached behind him, already holding his duel-disk in the proper position. "Oh, I almost forgot, there's one more little catch to our game." Here he paused and extracted what looked like a grapple, quickly throwing it forward so that it latched perfectly onto the base of his opponent's duel-disk.

"What the hell?" the man muttered as it clicked into place.

"Whoever loses this duel will also lose their duel-disk," Yusei explained as he clicked the other end into place around his own duel-disk. "So you might as well make the most of this match, 'cause it'll be your last."

The man glared angrily up at Yusei. "Alright, you little punk, I'm gonna show you just who you're messin' with! Let's duel!"

* * *

**Aki watched** in amazed silence as Yusei easily obliterated his opponent. The game lasted exactly five turns; at which point, Yusei's Synchro monster, Junk Warrior, aimed a direct attack at the other man's Life Points. She hadn't seen anyone duel so well since her brief time in Duel Academy. _With talent like that, I'm sure he'd be at the top of the class…but people from the Satellite aren't even legally allowed to duel, so he'll never get the chance. It's a shame._

A sudden electrical burst erupted out of the grapple that was still attached to the stranger's duel-disk. In no time at all, the machine was burnt to a crisp and smoking directly in its owner's face. Aki cringed, almost feeling sympathy for the destruction. It seemed like a waste of a duel-disk to her. _But, then again, considering its owner…maybe it's not such a loss after all._

"H-how did you do that?" the man stuttered, collapsing to his knees in shock.

Yusei collected the grapple, which had popped open after delivering its shock, as he answered the man. "Maybe if you actually understood the game, you would've stood a chance. But hopefully at least from now on, you'll know better than to prey on innocent people."

"But…you destroyed my duel-disk!" the man cried, leaping to his feet and curling his fists in anger. "Who do you think you are, anyway?!"

Yusei met his angry gaze unflinchingly, and his voice was calm and even as he said, "My name's Yusei."

A tiny bit of color drained from the man's face as he whispered, "Y-Yusei? Like, Yusei from Team Satisfaction?"

Yusei inclined his head silently.

As the man paled even more and turned to run away, Aki stared at Yusei. She'd heard rumors of a duel gang going around, defeating other gangs, and calling themselves Team Satisfaction. The rumors all said that each member of the gang was extremely talented; that none of them had ever lost a duel. _Well,_ Aki thought as she quickly recapped what she'd just witnessed, _I guess the rumors were true, then. And I guess that means those other three are also part of Team Satisfaction. I'm impressed._

* * *

**"That was** pretty impressive," Aki said sincerely when Yusei turned to face her. "So you're part of that Team Satisfaction I've heard about?"

Yusei's cheeks flamed pink for a brief moment and he scratched his head self-consciously, muttering, "Yeah, I am. It's just the four of us; me, Crow, Jack, and Kiryu."

Aki's eyes widened. "The rumors I'd heard made it sound like you had a small army or something."

Yusei barked out a short laugh and shook his head, the light blush fading away. "Yeah, no. Some people just like to make it sound like they put up a better fight than they really did."

Aki smiled and stood, stepping up beside him. "I bet. So, what was it you were going to ask me?"

His eyes widened marginally, but he didn't back down. "Oh, well, I was wondering if…you'd like to go to dinner with me sometime?"

It was her turn to get wide-eyed as she let his question wash over her. _Is he…asking me on a date? No one's ever asked me on a date before…what should I say? Do I want to? Who am I kidding, of course I want to._

"I mean, you don't have to of course," Yusei added softly, suddenly nervous and anxious over her silence.

Aki shook her head quickly and beamed up at him with a real, bright smile. "No, I do. I mean, I would like to. I would really like to. I'm sorry, it's just that no one's ever asked me on a date before; you surprised me."

"Oh," Yusei said, looking slightly relieved. "Well, when would you like to go to dinner?"

"I'm free tonight," Aki replied. Then she looked worried and she added, "Unless tonight's too soon or something."

Yusei shook his head. "No, tonight's great. I'll pick you up around 5:30, is that ok?"

Her bright smile returned and she said, "That's perfect."

* * *

**Naoko looked** up as Aki flounced into the house, her hood down and a bright smile still shining on her face.

"Have a good afternoon?" Naoko asked, putting down the application she'd been working on.

Aki paused beside the kitchen table and looked over at the older woman. "Yes," she said, "Yes I did." Then she continued her path to the refrigerator and extracted a bottle of water.

Naoko smiled. "Good; I'm glad to see you smiling."

Aki's smile faltered as she realized what Naoko meant. When they'd met, nearly two months ago, she hadn't been smiling at all. In fact, she'd been sure she would never smile again; after all, what monster deserves to smile?

But now, she was finally starting to see that she didn't have to be a monster. She could be normal; she could have real friends. Maybe she could even have a boyfriend.

"Oh, Naoko," Aki said, pushing aside the thoughts of her past life, "A boy named Yusei is coming around 5:30 to pick me up; he's taking me to dinner. Is that ok?"

Naoko laughed softly and nodded, wagging her pencil at Aki. "Of course it's ok! I'm not your mother, Aki; as long as he isn't some creep, I don't care if you date. Have fun."

"Thanks, Naoko," Aki said gratefully.

"You don't have to thank me, Aki," Naoko replied even as Aki started up the stairs.

* * *

**"Alright, so** are we all clear on what we're doing next?" Kiryu asked as he rolled up the map.

Yusei and Jack nodded silently.

Crow grinned. "Hey, you know, I just remembered, I heard rumor one of you guys slaughtered some wannabe zombie-duelist today."

"Well it wasn't me," Jack asserted calmly.

"Yusei?" Kiryu asked curiously.

"Yeah, that was me," Yusei admitted.

Jack and Crow looked over at him curiously. It was Crow who spoke. "So what brought on the slaughtering?"

"He was disrespecting Aki," Yusei explained quietly.

Jack rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Oh, brother. When are you just going to ask her out and get it over with?"

Glancing at his watch, Yusei replied, "Actually, I've gotta run; I promised her I'd pick her up in half an hour. I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

Crow burst into laughter, alongside Kiryu, who gave his friend a thumbs-up.

"Have a good night, my friend," Kiryu said.

"Yeah, thanks," Yusei said, waving as he turned and headed out the door.

When he was half-way down the stairs, Crow ran into the hall and leaned out over the railing, hollering, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"You're hilarious," Yusei called back without looking up.

* * *

**He knocked** on Aki's door a couple of minutes after 5:30 and tried to fight down his nerves as he waited for someone to answer the door. Several seconds ticked by before the door was pulled open, revealing a woman about Kiryu's height, with unkempt brown hair and dark eyes. She was just a bit too skinny, wearing torn jeans and a plain t-shirt.

"Hello?" she asked, narrowing her eyes marginally as she took in his appearance.

"Hi," he started, "is Aki here?"

Recognition flashed across her eyes and she raised an eyebrow. "Are you Yusei?" He nodded and she gave him a knowing smile, adding, "Just a second." Then she turned, stepping slightly away from the door, and called, "Aki! Yusei's here!"

Yusei heard a distant voice call out "I'll be down in a minute!"

The woman turned back to him and gestured inside, "You can come inside while she's getting ready if you like."

"Thanks," Yusei said, stepping inside.

She shut the door behind him and moved to claim a seat on the sofa in the small living room. There was a man sitting at the old kitchen table, chewing on a small sandwich. He looked to be younger than the woman who'd answered the door, though still older than Yusei himself.

The guy at the table looked up at Yusei when he entered, and deliberately swallowed his sandwich before asking, "Who're you?"

"Yusei."

When the guy at the table gave him a blank look, the woman spoke up. "He's Aki's date; remember, I told you?"

"Oh, right," the guy said.

That was when Aki swept into the room, a bright smile on her face. Her hair was down, loose around her face, and for once she wasn't wearing her travel cloak. She was wearing a simple white dress, with thin shoulder straps and a scoop neck, that billowed out around her knees. She had on black boots that went almost up to her knees, and black fingerless gloves that went up past her elbows.

"Hey, Yusei," she greeted him as she moved to join him in the front room.

Yusei smiled kindly. "Hey," he replied. "Ready to go?"

"Yep," she said.

As they headed out the door, Naoko hollered after them to have fun, also reminding them to be back by curfew.

* * *

**"Sorry I** was late," Yusei apologized as they walked down the sidewalk.

"It's alright; I wasn't quite ready, anyway," Aki assured him.

Yusei smiled down at her. "Speaking of which," he said, "you look great."

Aki's face flushed brightly and she clasped her fingers before her, fiddling absently as she mumbled, "Thank you."

They walked in silence then for several minutes, until they finally rounded the corner to Restaurant Row. The sight of the scattered buildings reminded Aki that she had no idea where they were going.

"So, where're we going, anyway?" she asked curiously.

"Well," Yusei paused, glancing down at her as they walked. "I thought I'd ask you what you felt like."

"Oh," Aki mumbled, before adding, "I actually kind of feel like a good burger if you don't mind."

Yusei smiled broadly and replied, "That's fine with me. C'mon, let's go get those burgers."

* * *

**They made** small talk as they ate their dinner. Yusei learned that she was eight and a half months younger than him, though she was also fifteen. Her roommates were Naoko and Takuya, and she'd been living there for nearly two months. She was vague about her life before then, but he didn't push it. It was only their first date; there was still time to get to know her.

In return, he told her about himself. He didn't get into extreme details about his past, either, but they talked about each others likes and dislikes. He discovered she wasn't fond of dueling; she didn't mind watching a good duel, but she didn't like actually playing the game.

"I guess you'll just have to do my dueling for me," she teased as she popped a fry into her mouth.

Yusei smirked, setting his soda back on the table. "I think I can manage that."

Aki giggled softly, her face flushing faintly.

"So, why do you and your friends duel? I mean, what's the point of those duel gangs?" Aki asked curiously a few minutes later.

Yusei looked thoughtful as he swallowed the bite he'd just taken from his bacon cheeseburger. Finally, he said, "It's sort of hard to explain I guess, but we were all hanging out one day and Kiryu came in ranting about how he doesn't want to do nothing with his life. He says since we're never realistically going to get out of the Satellite, we might as well make the most of the lives we do have, and since we all love to duel, he thought we could go around and challenge all the other gangs. Really test ourselves, I guess."

It was Aki's turn to look thoughtful as she contemplated his answer. "I suppose that does make some sense; and at least you're not tyrannical like some of those other gangs I've heard of. But what will you do once you've beaten them all?"

Yusei shrugged. "I really don't know; we haven't talked about that. I mean, we only just started going after other gangs not long ago."

Aki smiled encouragingly as she reached again for her burger. "Well, good luck, then. I hope you take them all by storm."

Yusei chuckled softly. "Thanks. I hope so, too."

* * *

**They were **walking hand-in-hand by the time they reached her borrowed home. Yusei climbed the two steps to her door in stride with her, and when they reached the landing he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Aki looked up, into his deep blue eyes, and smiled softly.

"Thanks for tonight, Yusei. I had a great time."

"Me, too. Thanks for saying yes," Yusei replied truthfully.

"Do we get to do it again sometime?" Aki asked hopefully.

Yusei's lips twitched in an upward direction and he said, "I certainly hope so."

"Then I'll see you soon?"

"I'll drop by tomorrow and we can figure out when we should have our next date," Yusei suggested easily.

"If you come by around one we'll be able to talk in private," Aki offered, before realizing what her suggestion could have sounded like. Her face flushed and she quickly added, "If that matters to you."

His soft chuckle drew her eyes back up to his face as he said, "One o'clock it is, then. I'll see you tomorrow." Then he pulled her left hand, still clasped in his right, up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Meeting her gaze as he lowered her hand, he whispered, "Good night, Aki."

A beautiful smile spread over her face and Aki murmured, "Good night, Yusei."

* * *

**A short** while later, Aki sat in her room, staring out her window but not really seeing the dilapidated city that was the Satellite. She was lost in thought, subconsciously clutching her right forearm tightly.

_Tonight was possibly the best night of my miserable life. I really like Yusei; he's such a nice guy. I know most teenage relationships don't last long at all, but is it too much to hope that maybe he'll stick around for a little while?_

She squeezed her arm and glared down at the mark that was still hidden by the long glove, answering her own question. _Yes, it probably is. Sooner or later he's bound to find out that I'm not the normal girl he thinks I am. And then he'll run away, just like everyone else. Even the nicest people in the world can't handle a freak like me._

She found herself fighting back tears of anger and sadness as an unwanted image of her mother and father flooded her mind's eye. When she'd been a little girl, they'd been the best parents in the world. And then the stupid mark on her arm had appeared, and she'd hurt her father. He'd never looked at her the same after that.

A single tear slipped free as she remembered the last time she'd seen them. It hadn't been long before she'd found a way to sneak into the Satellite.

_All I wanted was a family; someone who might love me and accept me. I wanted a second chance. And there they were, enjoying dinner like nothing was wrong at all in their lives. They clearly didn't want me around; I'm probably nothing but a bad memory by now._

Forcing the image out of her mind, she focused her gaze on the city she now called home. As soon as she did, a new image assailed her: the image of Yusei, smiling at her.

_I have a new home now. This is my second chance; I won't mess it up. He doesn't have to know about my curse._

Smiling faintly as she remembered the feel of his lips grazing her knuckles, Aki finally reached up and pulled her heavy drapes shut. Then she turned and began getting ready for bed, eager for the next day to begin.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Woohoo! Yusei and Aki are officially an item now! Is this the end of my story? Not by a long shot, I'm just getting started! After all, we all know their lives are filled with drama, right? So stick around if you want to see what I'm planning! But, even if you don't, please take the time to review! (And then go read chapter four!)


	4. Unexpected Solutions

_**A/N:**_ Here's chapter four! The drama is about to begin! Which, of course, is necessary for the continuation of the plot, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, blah, blah, blah. Well, you know, except for Naoko and Takuya.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 4: Unexpected Solutions**

**"Man, I **really _**hate**_ Security!" Crow declared in frustration as he slammed into the hangout, nearly half an hour late.

"You get caught with your duel-disk?" Kiryu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course he didn't; he wouldn't be here right now if he had," Jack pointed out.

"Yeah but I _**almost**_ did," Crow elaborated. "I was walking down the street, minding my own business, and then all of a sudden two Security guys come waltzing around the corner, not twenty feet away from me."

"What'd you?" Yusei asked.

"I had to dive into that stupid pawn shop and hide under that crystal ball counter. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?"

Jack chuckled darkly. "Yeah; I sort of wish I could've seen it. Or captured the moment on film."

Kiryu and Yusei tried unsuccessfully to hide their laughter as Crow glared at the blonde.

"Yeah, laugh it up, Jack. One of these days you're gonna have your own problems with Security, I guarantee it," Crow promised.

Kiryu sobered up, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "You know, Crow does have a point."

"I do?" Crow interrupted, sounding surprised.

"I've noticed a slight increase in Sector Security around the Satellite this past month or so. Mostly ever since Yusei mentioned his near-miss. They're sort of scattered; I've never seen more than two at a time, and never more than twice a week, but that's still more than we used to get," Kiryu explained.

"That could cause problems for us," Jack stated.

"It just means we have to be more careful," Yusei reasoned. "I've still never seen them out at night, at least not in the weird places we go for our duels."

Kiryu nodded. "Yusei's right; all we have to do is be cautious. I heard rumor they're looking for someone specific; if we don't draw attention to ourselves, we should be fine."

Jack smirked. "In other words, Crow's doomed. He still doesn't even understand what 'caution' is."

Crow rolled his eyes. "That may be true, but you're S.O.L. too, pal. You love attention."

Yusei and Kiryu laughed again as Jack glared silently at them all.

* * *

**Aki was** in her room, trying unsuccessfully to find an interest in her new book, when she heard Naoko slam into the house. From upstairs, the older woman's words sounded like grumbling; but Aki imagined they were profanities, judging by her tone.

Worry causing a frown to cross her face, Aki folded the corner of the page she was on and set the book down. Part of her was afraid to know what was wrong, but mostly she felt a morbid sense of curiosity building within her.

When she descended the stairs into the kitchen, she found Naoko sprawled across the old couch on her back, her eyes closed. Aki hesitated for half a second before continuing into the room and easing herself silently into the worn-in chair.

"Bad day at work?" she asked softly.

Naoko started at Aki's voice and rolled her head to face her. "Yeah, you could say that. I know I need the job, since it took me so long to _**find**_ one, but I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate it."

"What's so bad about it?" Aki pondered curiously. She hadn't really been paying attention when Naoko and Takuya had been talking about the new job, so she didn't actually know what it was Naoko did. Just that it paid, though it didn't really pay much.

Naoko heaved a large sigh and rolled her eyes to stare up at the ceiling. "The job itself is fine; tedious and stupid, but worth the money. It's my boss that's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"You're old enough to know that it's a screwed up world we live in," Naoko began, "but you have no job experience, so it may not have occurred to you, but sometimes men in power are just arrogant pigs. And sometimes men who only think they're in power are only pigs; disgusting, perverted, pigs."

Aki's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean your boss is hitting on you?"

Naoko gave a bark that didn't quite sound like a laugh, "Yeah, something like that."

"Oh," Aki said, her amber eyes finding a spot in the dirty carpet, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Naoko said robotically. They drifted in an awkward silence then and after several beats, Aki stood and silently made her way back upstairs, to give her roommate some space.

* * *

**"…no **other choice, Naoko!" Takuya's angry voice declared from somewhere in the hallway at shortly after midnight.

The sudden noise had pulled Aki abruptly into consciousness, and she sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes to try and clear her vision. The clock beside her bed revealed the time, and she turned her head to face the door to her room, frowning. The house was usually quiet and still by now, since the siblings had to work all day.

But tonight was clearly the exception.

"There _**has**_ to be another way!" Naoko's voice was a low hiss, but it carried through the otherwise-still building.

Takuya's response was not so quiet, though he wasn't yelling. His tone was cold; impartial; unfeeling. "You know I'm right this time. We're killing ourselves as we are; it's time to move on."

_Move on?_ Aki thought, feeling suddenly worried. _If they leave, what will I do? Will I go with them, or will I stay here…if I go, I'll lose Yusei, but if I stay, I'll be homeless. What are they talking about?!_

Naoko was silent for so long that Aki thought she'd simply moved too far away to be overheard, but then, finally, she spoke. "I know, Takuya, I know. But I hate it; it's not right."

"Nothing is anymore," Takuya replied, sounding now as if he sympathized with his sister. This time their voices did fade away, and Aki could no longer hear their words.

_What's going on I wonder?_ Aki worried. She debated briefly on whether or not she should go ask, finally deciding that it sounded too important to wait until morning.

* * *

**She was **downstairs in just a couple of minutes, pausing long enough to pull her cloak over her small nightgown. They were sitting in the front room, not talking, both looking lost in thought.

"Um, is everything ok?" Aki asked softly, stopping to stand beside the kitchen table.

The siblings looked up simultaneously and met her gaze. Takuya looked resigned and overworked; Naoko looked sad and hesitant.

It was Takuya who broke the silence. "Aki, I'm sorry -_**we're**_ sorry- but my sister and I have come to a realization. My pay got chopped in half today, for the foreseeable future, and with Naoko's pitiful income…we can't afford to support you anymore."

Aki's muscles tensed, and she paused before whispering, "So I guess I need to find a job now, huh?"

Takuya looked away, grinding his teeth.

"No, Aki," Naoko whispered hoarsely, "we…have to ask you to leave. In the morning."

Aki sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes went wide. She hadn't been expecting eviction. "But…I can work, really. It won't bother me. Please, I have nowhere to go…"

"You're too young to work; you're only barely fifteen and the minimum age is sixteen," Takuya explained, again using his cold, impartial voice.

"We're so sorry, Aki," Naoko added, sounding sincere. "We'd hoped it wouldn't come to this."

Tears stung Aki's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I understand," she replied, hearing a familiar, unwanted harshness seeping into her own voice. Then she turned and headed back to the stairs, back to the room that wouldn't be hers in the morning.

* * *

_**Am I **__destined to be alone? Is there something about me that is just fundamentally undesirable, even for such a short time?_ Aki's mind wandered, dredging up all of her old feelings of loneliness and misery, as she sat with her back against the cold brick wall.

It was nearly noon now; she'd been homeless for almost four hours. An hour ago she'd laid eyes on this dead-end alleyway, hidden in shadows even in the brightest part of the day, and quickly found herself nestled against the wall. Her one satchel rested on her right, hidden from the public view by her body. She herself was huddled in her old traveling cloak, the hood pulled up and her head bowed. She didn't want to be seen today.

_Well, I wanted to disappear, didn't I? To find that one place where no one would find me, so that no one could drag me back to that stupid school; so that no one could say mean things about me ever again. I think I'm finally on my way to finding that place now. I always knew it was somewhere in the Satellite; that's why I ran here._

Unbidden, an image of her boyfriend flooded her mind's eye, and she felt tears stinging behind her eyes again. They'd been dating for just over a month now, and she really did like him. He was always so kind to her, so caring and genuine. He never pushed her to talk about anything she didn't want to; never asked her to do things that made her uncomfortable. To find that place where she could disappear, she'd have to leave him behind.

_But it's probably for the best. The more I let him in, the more he can hurt me later…but I'll miss him. I really don't want to say goodbye._

"Yusei," she breathed as a single tear fell.

* * *

**Yusei was **walking down the street, on his way to Team Satisfaction's afternoon 'meeting,' when he thought he heard his name. He paused mid-step and stayed utterly still, as the sound had been so soft he wasn't sure he'd heard it all. It had come from the alley to his left; the one he'd just been passing.

He squinted his eyes to look into it, and thought he could see a shape huddled against the wall of the old building. The person was wrapped in an old cloak; holding it tight around them with slim, pale fingers. Bare toes in simple, plain sandals stuck out from the bottom of the cloak.

Instinctively, he knew who it was. His heart pounded frightfully against his chest as he altered his course and entered the alley. _Why is she huddled up in here like that? Is she hurt?_

"Aki?" he called gently, not wanting to startle her.

She jumped anyway, her head snapping up, amber eyes wide and reflecting off of the minimal sunlight that leaked into the alleyway. They were red and still glossed over with fresh tears. "…Yusei?"

Yusei knelt beside her, reaching up and wiping away her tears with one hand. "What's wrong? Why are you in an alley?"

Aki made a strange, almost whimpering sound and sniffled loudly before new tears slipped free and she threw herself into him. "Oh, Yusei!"

Yusei's arms came around her immediately, holding her tight as she sobbed, clutching at his shirt. As he held her, he realized that she had a bulging satchel resting beside her. He frowned as he began to suspect the answer to his questions.

He held her for several long minutes, rubbing her back and murmuring in her ear. Finally, he felt her take a deep breath and then she pulled back and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping away the traces of her tears with another sniffle. "Thank you."

Yusei shook his head slightly and reached up, brushing his fingers through her hair. "Don't apologize," he insisted, "it's ok. Can you tell me what happened?"

Her eyes fell and the sad expression returned, but she didn't cry. Instead, she said, "Naoko and Takuya said they couldn't afford to support me anymore, so they kicked me out. I don't know where I'm going yet."

Yusei's lips formed a hard line, which slowly curved into a faint frown before he leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. When he pulled away, he said, "You can stay with me, then. I won't let you sleep on the streets; it's not safe."

Aki's eyes widened at his unexpected offer. "I can? You really don't mind?"

"Not at all," Yusei replied, squeezing her tight in a quick hug, "I promise."

* * *

**"Sorry I'm** late," Yusei called as he stepped into the one-room hangout. He held the door open as he entered, and Aki followed him quietly inside. As he moved to set her satchel in a corner, he continued, "Is it alright if Aki hangs out with us today?"

"Doesn't make a difference to me," Jack declared.

Kiryu nodded and Crow lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah, it's fine with me; is everything ok?"

"I sort of got kicked out this morning," Aki mumbled.

"Why?" Crow asked, sounding surprised at her revelation.

"Apparently I cost them too much money."

Yusei silently moved to the table and pulled out one of the two chairs, offering it to her. She gave him a small, sad smile and sat down, unhooking the cloak and letting it drape over the back of the chair.

"So what're you gonna do?" Kiryu asked curiously, looking from Aki to Yusei and back to Aki.

"She's gonna stay with me," Yusei stated calmly.

"Oh boy," Crow murmured.

Kiryu reached over and hit his friend upside the head. "Not now, Crow."

"Sorry, sorry," Crow said, raising his hands defensively.

"So," Yusei began, seeking to change the subject while he had the chance, "what'd I miss?"

* * *

**Aki looked** around as Yusei shut and locked the door. The apartment was older, with a small living room, small kitchen, single bathroom and one bedroom. From the entry, Aki could see into every room, but despite its small size it felt unexpectedly comfortable.

"So this is where you live?" Aki asked as she took in the home.

"Yeah," Yusei admitted. "I know it's not much, but make yourself comfortable. What's mine is yours."

Aki giggled, looking back up at him and smiling slightly. "Doesn't that only apply to people who're married?"

Yusei flashed her a grin and shrugged casually. "I don't see why it can't apply here." Adjusting his grip on her bag, he took her left hand in his right and began heading towards the bedroom. "C'mon, let me show you where you'll sleep."

They were silent as they entered the room. It was fairly clean; no clothes scattered across the floor, though the closet doors were wide open. The bed was half-made, but it looked surprisingly comfortable.

"This is your room," Yusei declared, easily depositing the satchel beside the bed. "You'll have to share the closet space, since it's the only one I've got, but there should be enough room."

Aki chewed her lower lip thoughtfully as she examined the room. "Yusei, I can't take your only bedroom. Where will you sleep?"

"The couch folds out," Yusei replied. "I'll just sleep there; it's no big deal."

Aki pouted. "But those things are never comfortable."

Yusei shrugged again, saying, "It'll be fine."

This time her gaze settled on the bed, and he could see her face beginning to turn pink. Before he could even tell himself not to think about what she could be thinking, she said, "What if…I mean, it's big enough, couldn't we just…share?"

His face flamed red as he reflexively looked over at his bed. Logically, she did have a point. It was plenty large enough for two teenagers. There really was no reason he should have to sleep on his old, lumpy sofa-bed.

_But then I'd be sharing a _**bed**_ with _**Aki**_, my girlfriend. I'm not sure I'm ready to…but I'm sure I would think about it. Then again, I'll think about it anyway if she's living here._

"Yusei?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess you do have a point," he replied lamely.

"I mean, obviously we don't have to, I just thought that maybe you'd be more comfortable," she rambled quickly, not meeting his gaze.

Yusei took a deep breath and allowed his lips to curve up as he stepped towards her and tilted her chin up with his thumb and index finger. "I'm willing to give it a try if you are," he said.

A smile lit up Aki's face, and she said, "Ok."

Yusei released her chin, tracing his fingertips along her jaw line slowly before cupping her face and gently tilting her head up ever-so-slightly. Aki leaned up on her tip-toes to meet him half-way, curling her arms around his neck as his lips covered hers. His other hand settled on her waist, holding her easily in place.

His lips massaged hers for several seconds before she parted her lips in a silent request. He took the invitation immediately, shifting his hold on her so that the hand that had been cupping her face was now buried in her loose hair. His tongue slipped inside of her mouth easily and danced with hers as their kiss deepened.

Reluctantly, Yusei pulled away, breaking the kiss and drawing in a ragged breath. Aki shifted her arms until they were wrapped around his torso and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I really like when you kiss me like that," she whispered after she'd regained enough breath to speak normally.

Yusei chuckled, squeezing her tightly. "Me, too," he admitted huskily.

After another long couple of seconds, Aki sighed and pulled back, until their hold on each other was loose and she could look up at his face. "Is it alright if I take a shower?"

"Of course," Yusei said. "There should be a clean towel on the top shelf beside the shower."

"Thanks," Aki replied with a smile, releasing him and depositing her cloak on the foot of the bed before taking her satchel into the bathroom and shutting the door.

* * *

**Yusei groaned** and rolled over when the rising sunlight seeped through the tears in his old, dark curtain. He jerked awake when his arm landed on something soft and warm on the bed beside him. His eyes snapped open and his body tensed for a brief second until his memory caught up with him._ Aki; it's Aki._

Sure enough, when his vision cleared, he realized that his arm had managed to curve around the small of her back. She was sleeping on her stomach, her head turned in his direction. Her hair was sprawled in all angles around her head, and her expression was so peaceful that it surprised him to realize that she usually looked at least slightly sad. He was just used to it, as she'd been that way when he'd met her.

Deciding he didn't need to wake her just yet, Yusei carefully pushed back the covers that were folded around his torso and tried to ease his way out of bed without disturbing her. He managed to get his feet on the ground, though he wasn't yet standing, before she woke.

"Yusei?" Aki murmured sleepily, blinking her sleep-crusted eyes rapidly.

Yusei looked over at her and smiled. "Good morning," he said.

She looked instantly more alert as a soft, almost delicate smile curved her lips. "Good morning," she replied.

"I was going to make myself some eggs and toast; do you want any?" he asked.

Aki's stomach rumbled loudly and she flushed, bowing her head slightly. "Um, yes, please?" she said, laughing.

Yusei chuckled and pushed himself to his feet. "I'll get right on it, then," he promised teasingly.

* * *

**"You're back** already?" Aki asked as Yusei let himself into the apartment a couple of days later.

Yusei smiled at her, pausing as he headed to their room. "Just for a minute. Kiryu decided to go after the Ninja Lords tonight instead of Thursday, so I've got to grab my duel-disk."

"Oh, well, good luck," Aki said as he disappeared temporarily.

He returned quickly and walked up to her, pulling her to her feet and pressing a quick kiss to her lips. When he released her, he grinned and said, "Thanks. I might be a little late tonight, go ahead and lock the door."

Aki nodded. "Alright; I'll see you later, then. Try and be safe."

Yusei chuckled as he headed for the door. "I will, but I can't make promises for the others. See you soon."

When the door was solidly shut behind him, Aki sighed and slumped back onto the couch. _Sometimes, their duel-gang makes me wish I could duel like a normal person. I really do enjoy the game._

With another sigh, Aki shoved the thought aside and reached for the remote, deciding to see if anything good was on. Usually the reception sucked, but sometimes at night it cleared up enough to be tolerable for a couple of hours.

After a few minutes of searching, she found a sitcom rerun and decided it was as good as she was going to get. So she settled in to watch, and wait for Yusei's return.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Yes, I did in fact just put two hormonal 15 year olds alone together for an unknown length of time. Aren't I evil? LOL Don't worry, things aren't nearly settling back down! The most interesting stuff is just around the corner! So, with that said, please review and let me know what you think so far! And don't forget to stay tuned for chapter five!


	5. A Sweet Sixteen

_**A/N:**_ Hello!! Chapter 5 has arrived!! (Yeah, corny, I know…). I don't really have anything new to say, other than we're still not ready to meet up with the anime just yet (might start next chapter, though, if all goes as planned). So, without further ado, please read on and enjoy!!

**Disclaimer:** I think by now you know as well as I do that I own absolutely nothing; especially now that I've written Naoko and Takuya out of the story.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 5: A Sweet Sixteen**

**Aki was** curled up on the couch, reading the book that Yusei had picked up for her the day before from the market, when someone started knocking on the door. Yusei was out with his friends, and so far as she knew he wasn't expecting anyone, so she froze in a brief moment of terror before slowly getting to her feet. She wasn't entirely sure what to do.

As she contemplated her options, the knocking continued, increasing tempo. Another long second dragged by, and then she heard a muffled but familiar voice call out from the other side of the door.

"Aki, open up, it's me, Jack."

_Jack?_ Aki thought curiously, setting the book on the coffee table and quickly crossing the room. In a second, she had released the lock and pulled the door open.

Before she could speak, Jack was talking. "It's about time; what took you so long?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone, and I thought you guys were out terrorizing bullies or something."

"Not hardly," Jack stated. Quirking an eyebrow at her, he added, "So are you going to let me in or not?"

"Um, sure, of course you can come in," Aki replied awkwardly. She stepped aside so that he could enter, and then shut the door again. "So, if you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here? Yusei's not home, you know."

Jack rolled his eyes and propped his hands on his hips. "Of course I know that; I left him with Kiryu and Crow and came straight here. I need to talk to _**you**_."

Aki blinked, her confusion rising. "Me? Why?" In the months she and Yusei had been dating, even for as long as she'd been living with her boyfriend, she and Jack had barely exchanged a handful of sentences. She'd never had the impression that he'd particularly liked her, just that he tolerated her as his friend's girlfriend.

"I'm sure Yusei hasn't bothered to mention it, but his sixteenth birthday is next Wednesday, and Kiryu's decided we should celebrate," Jack explained.

"It is?" Aki asked before she could stop herself.

"Yes," Jack stated, "and we need you to be in on it."

"Wait, in on what? The celebration?"

"Yes," Jack repeated, "the celebration. Crow wants to put together a surprise party. Yusei's got a couple of other friends he hasn't seen in several months, so he's going out tonight to round them up. Do you want to be in on this, or not?"

Pausing for barely a heartbeat, Aki nodded firmly. "I definitely want in. What do you need me to do?"

"For the most part, nothing," Jack said, sounding a bit less snippy now. "Yusei's around you all the time, if you know too much you might accidentally slip up, or at least make him suspicious. But on Wednesday, around noon, you need to get him to the hangout. Use your imagination, the excuse doesn't really matter. We'll be there, waiting for you. Can you do that?"

"I can do that," Aki promised. "It shouldn't be too hard to get him over there. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Not yet," Jack said. "If something comes up, one of us will find a way to let you know. Just remember, please, that it's a _**surprise**_ party, so you can't tell him ahead of time."

Aki pursed her lips and gave Jack an exasperated look, saying, "I think I know the fundamentals of a surprise party, Jack. I won't tell."

"Good," Jack said with a nod, uncrossing his arms and stepping forward. "I'd better get out of here, then. It would be counter-productive for Yusei to find me here talking to you."

"Only a little," Aki agreed, moving out of his way. As he opened the door, she added, "See you later."

Jack paused briefly and glanced over his shoulder, finally muttering, "Yeah, later," and shutting the door as he descended the steps.

Aki sighed, locking the door and returning to the couch. _So Yusei's birthday is coming up; I should get him something._ She frowned as the obvious problem reared its ugly head. _Of course, that could be a bit difficult since I don't exactly have any money. But I'll just have to figure something out; I can't not get him anything._

Her decision made, at least in part, Aki picked up her book. She could think about her new dilemma later, but first, she really wanted to get back to the story.

* * *

**It wasn't** until early Tuesday that Aki finally found the perfect gift for Yusei's sixteenth birthday. And it _**was**_ perfect.

She found it by complete accident on her way to the market, to replace the dwindling amounts of food in their fridge. As she walked, she passed an elderly man who was sitting on a bench, telling stories to two young boys she presumed to be his grandsons.

"…and that was how I stumbled across this special card," the old man said, his voice gravelly and weathered with age.

Out of reflex, Aki turned her head to see the card. The sunlight reflected off of it, but she could make out the image depicted on it without too much effort. It was unlike any she'd ever seen before, and as soon as she laid eyes on it, she knew it was what she'd been looking for.

The boys "oo'd" and "ahh'd" over it appropriately, crowding each other to better see the shiny front. The taller one reached out to touch it, and the old man pulled it back.

"Oh no, sonny, I can't let you hold it," he said gravely. "This card is very special, as I said. It has a destiny that we can't even imagine."

"Aw, c'mon old man, I just wanna get a better look!" the boy whined.

He shook his head stubbornly and tucked the card safely in his coat pocket.

The smaller boy sighed and half-turned away. "See, I told you he wouldn't actually share it with us. Let's go."

"Yeah, c'mon," the first boy said as the two turned and walked away without so much as a goodbye.

The old man watched them for a long second, before turning his gaze to Aki and smiling wisely. Aki flushed and quickly continued on her way to the market.

* * *

**She shopped** as fast as she could and practically ran home, knowing Yusei wouldn't be there to question her bizarre behavior. As soon as she was done restocking the fridge, she headed to the bedroom and pulled out her satchel. Taking a deep breath, she reached into a hidden inner pocket and extracted her deck.

She paused then and stared at the cards, mixed emotions rolling around inside of her. A part of her hated each card for the pain they brought whenever she dueled, but another part of her knew it was stupid to blame her cards for the pain that was really caused by the mark on her arm.

Another deep breath filled her and she returned the satchel to its spot in the closet, finding a pouch on the inside of her cloak for the deck. Then she stood and quickly rushed from the apartment, being careful to lock it up before she hurried back to where she'd seen the old man.

_Please let him still be there,_ Aki begged silently.

* * *

**The old **man was indeed still sitting on the bench when Aki returned, and as soon as she saw him, she allowed herself to slow down and walk normally. She realized as she approached that she had no idea if her bargain would work; but it was all she could offer him, and so she would try regardless.

"Excuse me, sir," Aki said politely as she reached him.

The old man looked up and smiled again at her. "Good morning," he said casually. It was clear from the look in his eyes that he remembered her from earlier, and Aki almost blushed at the awkwardness of that thought. "Can I help you?"

Aki nodded slowly, not sure how to word her request. "May I?" she asked, stalling, and gestured to the open spot on the bench beside him.

"Of course," he said.

Aki sat and silently lowered her hood so that she could meet his gaze equally. She offered him what she hoped was a friendly smile and launched into her reason for being there.

"I couldn't help but overhear you talking to those two boys from earlier, and I was wondering…can I see the card?"

The old man obligingly pulled it carefully out of his pocket and held it on the edges, so that she could see it. It was exactly what she was looking for.

Aki bit her lip, suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety at the prospect of failing this mission. "Um, sir…I was wondering, would you be willing to trade for it?"

The man frowned, but hesitated, clearly not expecting her request. "Trade?" he finally repeated.

Aki nodded and pulled out her deck. "Yes; I'd be willing to give you any or all of these cards for that one. You see, my boyfriend's birthday is tomorrow, and I _**know**_ he'd love it. Please?"

As she spoke, she fanned out her deck loosely, so that he could get an idea of the cards within.

She could see the refusal forming on his lips and her heart sank.

"I'm sorry, miss, but this card is -" he cut himself off as his eyes landed on one of the cards in her deck. Silently, and almost reverently, he reached forward with his free hand and delicately plucked one card from her deck; Black Rose Dragon.

Aki leaped at what she hoped was her chance. "She's incredibly rare; you can keep her, I promise."

"No," the man said, sliding the card back into Aki's deck. "I can't take that card from you. But here, you may have this card." His ancient eyes locked onto hers as he held out the card she'd come to trade for. "I think perhaps I was meant to give it to you."

Aki hesitated at his words even as she reached for the card. "What do you mean, 'meant to'?"

He smiled and shook his head before propelling himself awkwardly to his feet. "I knew I had to sit on this bench and talk about that card today. And I think this is why. Good luck, and I hope your boyfriend appreciates your devotion."

Aki blinked, confused, but finally called out after him, "Thank you, sir!"

* * *

**"You know,** we really could do this later," Yusei reminded his girlfriend as he reached for the door of Team Satisfaction's hangout.

Aki nodded. "I know, but I'd really rather just get it done, so that we have the whole rest of the day, you know?"

"If you're sure," Yusei finally said, looking forward again and pushing open the door.

A loud popping startled him even as a chorus of voices, including Aki's, cried, "_**Surprise!**_"

Yusei blinked as the confetti slowly fluttered to the floor. Aki was giggling beside him, smiling shyly; Jack, Crow, and Kiryu were laughing loudly, probably at his expression; but the biggest surprise was the other set of occupants in the room. Martha, Tank, Nervin, Blitz, and Rally all had huge grins on their faces.

Rally bolted forward and embraced him eagerly. "Happy birthday, Yusei!"

"Yeah, it's about time you showed up, we gotta celebrate!" Blitz teased.

"But before we do that," Martha inserted with a smile, "you'd better come over here and say a proper hello. And introduce me to that beautiful young lady beside you."

Yusei shook his head, smiling, and said, "You're all crazy. You didn't have to do any of this."

"Why not? It's your _**birthday**_!" Rally reminded pointedly.

Yusei just grinned and quickly introduced Aki to the friends she didn't know. And then the real party began.

They played games and had snacks; Martha had baked a cake for the occasion, which she brought out around dinner time. And after the cake, they got settled in for business, with Yusei sitting at the table and everyone gathering around as he began opening presents.

He got all sorts of things, some significantly less legal than others, and soon Aki was the only one left. When he'd set aside the gift from Crow, she quietly set down a small bag with tissue paper sticking out of it.

"Happy birthday," she said when he glanced up at her. "I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will," he replied as he pushed aside the tissue paper. It didn't take him long to find the Duel Monsters card nestled amongst the tissue. Suddenly more curious than before, he pulled the card free and turned it to face him.

His eyes went wide at the sight of the unique card in his hand. He'd never seen anything like it, but immediately he knew it belonged in his deck.

He looked back up at Aki and asked, "How did you get this?"

Aki blushed and murmured, "I found it by accident yesterday, but the man who had it gave it to me for free." She shrugged, silently adding that she had no idea why he gave it up so easily.

"Well, c'mon, what kinda card is it?" Crow asked, trying to lean around the table to see.

"Yeah, Yusei, don't keep us in suspense," Kiryu teased, an obvious note of curiosity in his voice.

Calmly, Yusei flipped it around and held it up for everyone to see. They all drew in a breath at the sight of the rare card.

"Stardust Dragon, huh? He actually looks mildly impressive," Jack declared.

Crow whistled and grinned. "Damn, Aki, what're you gonna get me for _**my**_ birthday?"

Aki grinned and replied, "Oh, I have a card in mind for you, too. It's called 'Hallmark.'"

The group laughed and Yusei stood, slipping the card into his deck-holder, with the rest of his cards, and met Aki's gaze. "Thank you," he whispered softly. "I love it." And then he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for a brief kiss. The small crowd cheered, and Crow said something mildly inappropriate, which earned him a mini-lecture from Martha.

* * *

**Not much** later the party diffused, so that those who actually heeded the law could make it home by curfew. Yusei and Aki hung around a bit longer, but soon even Team Satisfaction decided they were done for the day, and so the young couple returned to their shared apartment.

"So, did you have a good day?" Aki asked as he locked the door.

"It was the best birthday I could ask for," Yusei replied, turning to face her.

Aki beamed. "I'm glad; I was a little afraid you'd be mad, since you hadn't mentioned it at all."

Yusei shook his head and stepped up to her, winding his arms around her waist. "Of course I'm not mad. I didn't mention it because I didn't want you to think you had to do something special for me." He paused and leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers before whispering, "I would've been perfectly happy to just spend the day with you."

Aki laughed softly and buried her fingers in his hair. "Well, that's good to hear, but I'm glad you got something even better."

Yusei chuckled and captured her lips for a passionate kiss. She moaned into his lips as he deepened it, and he held her tightly to him. They clung to each other for several long moments, standing there in the small entryway of the apartment. Yusei's hands were splayed across her back and hers were curled in his hair and pressed against the back of his neck.

They parted when their lungs began burning, and Yusei turned his hold on her into a hug. With his mouth beside her ear, he murmured, "Thanks for today."

Snuggling up against him, she whispered, "You're very welcome."

* * *

**They were **curled up on the couch a couple of hours later, both too wide-awake to even consider sleep, despite the late hour. Neither had spoken in a while, both simply enjoying the other's company.

Aki's head was spinning. Just a few minutes ago, a very dangerous, and yet disturbingly tempting idea had cropped up in her mind. _What am I thinking? Everything's so great right now, why would I do that? Why chase him away?_ But then, she knew the answer to her internal question already.

_Because I'm falling for him; I know I am. I could love him so easily it terrifies me. And if he never knows, then he'll never be able to truly return those feelings. But do I dare?_

"Aki?" Yusei asked softly, his hand moving to massage her shoulder gently. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh," Aki mumbled, realizing that he must have noticed her sudden frown. "Yusei, I…I want to tell you something. It's something I probably should've told you forever ago, but I was scared…I still am, sort of, but I think it's time I told you."

"What is it?" Yusei asked, sounding sincerely curious.

Aki shifted, sitting up properly and facing him. She swallowed heavily but didn't drop her gaze. "It's ok if you're angry with me for this," she started, "I know it's…a lot to keep hidden, but please let me explain everything before you judge me, ok?"

"Judge you…?" Yusei repeated, thrown by her words. He sat up as well, silently assuring her that he was taking this seriously. "Tell me," he requested.

"Biologically, I am the daughter of Senator Hideo Izayoi. I was born and 'raised' in Neo Domino City, but I ran away, to the Satellite, just a couple of months before we met," Aki began somberly. When he didn't immediately interrupt, she plunged ahead with her hideous tale. She told him about the sudden appearance of the wretched mark on her arm, the one she'd so carefully kept hidden for months, as she peeled off her glove and showed it to him.

Then she told him everything else; about the terrible powers it gave her, that made her unable to duel without hurting everyone and everything around her. And about her own family's reaction to her curse; about the treatment she'd received from her classmates at Duel Academy. She told him everything, and tried her best to hope that he wouldn't abandon her.

* * *

**Yusei was** shocked at the story he heard. He kept silent while she spoke, absorbing every word to the best of his capacity. The mark on her arm seemed familiar to him in a vague way, but he couldn't place how and so he quickly let it go in order to keep up with the rest of what she was saying.

What she described horrified him. He couldn't imagine how her parents could justify turning on her like she described, though he could easily imagine the torment such an unusual gift would bring from her peers. The way she described it, he could understand why she called it a 'curse.' She had been taught to despise the mark on her arm and the powers it granted her; no one had stopped to think that it simply made her unique. They should have been taught to her as gifts; things to be embraced.

When she finally fell silent, her story done, she looked away and he could see a faint layer of tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered, choking on her words, "I know I shouldn't have lied like I did."

"No," Yusei said, keeping his tone gentle. Simultaneously, he reached out and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms firmly around her as he leaned his head down beside hers. "I understand why you didn't tell me right away; don't apologize. I'm not mad, and I'm not afraid. I don't know how you can do those things, but I believe you; and I think the way you've been treated is appalling. No one deserves that kind of abuse; especially not you."

Aki was stiff when he first pulled her close and while he spoke. When he was done, she whispered, "You mean you're not pushing me away?"

"Never," Yusei promised firmly, holding her tighter to emphasize his promise.

She finally broke, then, and collapsed into him, clinging tightly to his shirt and letting her tears flow. The relief was so intense it almost hurt, but she embraced the pain because for once it meant that things were going _**right**_ in her life.

"Thank you, Yusei," she choked between her sobs.

"I'll always be here for you, Aki," he swore, "you can trust me."

"I do," Aki managed, "I really, really do."

Yusei stayed silent, holding her close, while she cried. He hated that she had been brought to this point, but he was determined that this would be the last time she shed tears over the subject. _I'll show her that she has nothing to be afraid of anymore,_ he vowed silently. _I'll take care of her; I'll love her the way she deserves to be loved. And maybe, just maybe, someday I'll even get her to appreciate her power. But she's probably a long way away from being capable of seeing it in a positive light still._

They sat there, in silence, for a while longer. Eventually Aki's tears dried up and she burrowed into him, relishing in his warmth and strength, and his security. In his arms she actually felt like she belonged somewhere; it was a feeling she'd never take for granted.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Ok, a couple of quick notes: 1) no, the old man is not supposed to be Yanagi or anyone else from the YGO series, so please don't be confused about that. 2) I don't really know how Yusei got Stardust according to the anime, but I figure that for the point of my story, Stardust would mean even more to him if given to him by someone he cared for, like, y'know, Aki. So that's my reasoning. If I've confused you at all, I apologize! Anyway, please let me know what you thought of this rather significant chapter! And don't forget to read on!!


	6. The End of Paradise

_**A/N:**_ Here's chapter six!! I hope you're all excited and curious and ready for it! You know the drill, please forgive all minor errors and the OOCness, which is currently running abundant, I'm sure. But it has a point!! And with that said, please enjoy this chapter!!

**Disclaimer:** Yada, yada, we all know I own nothing even remotely related to YGO…it's so sad, really….

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 6: The End of Paradise**

**"Security's really** starting to get on my nerves," Kiryu grumbled as he stared out the window.

"They are being unusually pesky, aren't they?" Jack asked rhetorically.

"Do you think they're still looking for whoever it was they were looking for before?" Crow wondered, popping a chip into his mouth.

Yusei frowned as he began reattaching the face-plate of Kiryu's duel-disk. "It's been months since we heard those rumors, I can't imagine who they'd be looking for after all this time."

"Yeah, if it were some criminal, they'd just let him go and see what happened," Jack stated bitterly.

"So maybe it's not some criminal," Kiryu suggested. "Maybe it's someone important who's gone missing."

"Like who, Director Goodwin?" Crow asked with a disbelieving scoff.

Kiryu shrugged and turned away from the window. "Honestly, I have no idea. But, it doesn't really matter."

"Exactly," Jack agreed, "we've got big things to do today."

Crow's expression turned into a smirk and he held up his left arm, which was sporting his duel-disk. "Oh yeah; today is going to kick _**ass**_."

"It's the last sector, isn't it?" Yusei asked as he passed the newly-repaired duel-disk back to their team leader.

Kiryu accepted the machine silently and spread the map out over the desk, revealing the truth of Yusei's words. "It is; so after today, we'll have officially dominated all of Satellite!"

"Alright!" Crow declared eagerly.

"So," Kiryu said, looking around and meeting everyone's gaze individually, "how about we all meet up at one o'clock? That should give us plenty of time to get it all done."

"I'm in," Crow promised immediately.

Jack nodded silently, smirking as well.

Yusei grinned and said, "I'll be here."

"Good," Kiryu acknowledged, "then split up and get whatever else you had to get done today done, and I'll see you again at one."

* * *

**Aki was** unloading groceries when Yusei got home a short while later. He let himself in and moved behind her, curving his arms around her waist and pulling her up against his chest. "Hey," he whispered in her ear.

Aki laughed and leaned into him easily. "Hey yourself," she replied. "I went shopping this morning; we were low on some things again."

"I see that; thanks," Yusei stated, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head before releasing her.

She spun around and leaned up on her tiptoes to plant a proper kiss on his lips. "You seem like you're in a good mood; what's going on?"

Yusei grinned. "We're going after the last sector this afternoon," he explained. "We're meeting up at one; so I'll have to leave after lunch. But I should be back in plenty of time for dinner."

"The last one? That's amazing," Aki said truthfully. "I almost can't believe how easy this has been for you guys."

"It _**has**_ been a lot of work," Yusei pointed out.

"Of course," Aki agreed playfully. She sobered a bit and added, "But please watch out for Security; they're scattered all over lately."

Yusei nodded seriously. "We will, I promise."

* * *

**"Remember,"** Aki began, as Yusei prepared to head out a couple of hours later, "you promised to be careful."

"And I will," Yusei assured her, reaching out and combing his fingers through her hair gently.

Aki smiled and pressed herself against him as she covered his lips with hers for a kiss. His arms came around her immediately and he deepened the kiss for a long moment, before they pulled apart.

"Good luck," Aki breathed.

Yusei grinned and said, "There's no way we can lose now." Then he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead and added, "Have a good afternoon; I'll be back in a bit."

"Bye," Aki called a heartbeat before he pulled the door shut behind him.

* * *

**Yusei rejoined** his friends and teammates a few minutes before one. As soon as the four of them were gathered together, Kiryu gave them a brief motivating speech and then led the way out the door, crying, "It's time to find our ultimate satisfaction, boys!"

The four of them made it easily to the final sector, looking around for their targets. They were expecting a normal sized duel-gang, but what they found was much larger. However the number of their opponents didn't slow them down, so they quickly split-up, each taking on a small group of their own.

Yusei's first duel was easy; his opponent seemed as though he barely understood the game at all. His second opponent was a bit more challenging; he lasted twice as many turns, but in the end, Yusei wiped the floor with them both.

That left one man in his way: the leader of their not-so-little duel-gang. But he wasn't worried; he knew he could beat him. And then they'd be done; they would have conquered all of Satellite.

The leader of the rival gang smirked arrogantly and Yusei narrowed his eyes on the taller man. _Let's do this_, he decided silently.

* * *

**While Yusei** was away with his friends, Aki sat in the apartment watching television. She didn't really have much to do for the day, since she'd already done their shopping, and she couldn't sit still long enough to get lost in a book.

As she clicked past another channel, she sighed dramatically. "This might be the only thing I miss," she decided aloud. "At least in the city, we had more stations."

After going through all of the available stations twice, Aki finally clicked off the TV and dropped the remote on the couch. _What to do?_ she wondered idly.

That was when someone knocked loudly on the door.

Aki froze as she stared at the door. _Who could that be? The guys are out, it wouldn't be one of them…Martha wouldn't drop in unannounced, and it doesn't sound like Rally's knock._

The pounding resumed, more insistent than before. It even seemed louder.

_But I'm not expecting anyone,_ Aki's mind argued as she reminded herself to breathe. _Maybe if I just wait here quietly, they'll go away._

More pounding assaulted her ears; it was starting to sound like a distinct pattern. And then came the words that made her blood run cold.

"Open up! This is Sector Security!"

For a long, horrifying minute, Aki forgot to breathe as she struggled to figure out what to do. _Could they possibly know I'm here?_ She shook her head internally, removing the thought. _Maybe it has nothing to do with me; why would it? And why would they recognize me? I'm nobody._

"Open this door immediately!" the Security agent bellowed as he pounded again on the door.

She knew she had to do something, so finally, she pushed herself to her feet, sucked in a deep breath, and walked to the door. Fighting back her nerves as best she could, she unlocked the door and hesitantly pulled it open.

Four Sector Security agents stood on the other side of the door, and she tried her best to hold her stomach in place, despite its desperate attempts to fall to the floor.

Hoping her voice didn't catch, she asked quietly, "Can I help you?" She tried to look as innocent as she could as she briefly scanned their faces and settled on the one nearest her.

The Security agent nearest her was clearly the one in charge, as all the others stood slightly back. He was also the oldest, looking to be in his mid-twenties. The look he gave her was firm and almost frustrated as he replied to her question.

"I'm Officer Ushio Tetsu," he began formally, "and my men and I have been looking for you for a very long time, Miss Izayoi."

Aki felt herself go pale when he said her name, but she forced the lie anyway. "I'm sorry, Officer, but you've got the wrong girl. My name is Izinski."

"Oh really?" he challenged, extracting a photograph from the front pocket of his uniform and holding it out for her to see. It was a photo of her leaning against a wall at Duel Academy; one that was probably taken by the security cameras. "Then you're _**not**_ the girl in this picture?"

The photo was from barely two weeks before she'd run away; she had no hope of denying it when they could see the truth for themselves. Her eyes dropped to the ground between them as she asked, "What do you want with me?"

The officer looked smug as he tucked the picture away. "We're here to bring you home," he stated.

Anger flooded through her and her head snapped up as she glared at the man before her. "And just who sent you, _**Officer**_? My father? The school? Because the last time I checked, neither of them wanted me around anyway, so why should I want to go back to that place?!" She paused, sucking in a breath, and added, "Besides, this _**is**_ my home."

"As it so happens," he replied calmly, "several influential people are quite eager to have you safely back within city limits. You can imagine the fear Senator Izayoi felt when he learned that you'd run away to the _**Satellite**_ of all places."

"No one cares about me," Aki spat, not letting go of her anger. "They just can't help but try to screw up my life. Believe it or not, I'm happy here. People don't treat me like a disease. So why don't you just leave me alone, I'm not breaking any laws. You can tell my _**father**_ that you haven't found me yet, or whatever you like. I don't care."

The officer frowned, his frustration mounting. "Listen little girl, we've been ordered to return you to Neo Domino City and that's exactly what we're going to do. You'll understand someday, when your crazy teenage hormones aren't ruling everything you do."

As he spoke, he reached out to grab her arm. Aki stepped backwards quickly and glared at him. "Don't you touch me," she hissed.

"Sorry, but you leave me no choice," he replied firmly, reaching out again and wrapping his large hand around her elbow. Turning his head to glance at one of his men, he snapped, "Go inside and find her dueling deck; she must've taken it with her when she ran."

"Yes, sir!" the agent said, slipping uninvited into the apartment.

* * *

**Aki struggled** uselessly against Ushio's strong hold as he walked her to the waiting squad car. Another of the agents ran ahead and opened the door for her patiently. When they reached the car, Aki planted her feet before her and tried to shove backwards, doing everything she could think of to stay out of the vehicle.

"Don't fight me, girl," Ushio growled, not loosening his grip. "You're getting in that car if I have to toss you in the trunk."

"Are you here to rescue me or kidnap me?" Aki ground out between her teeth.

"The Satellite's no place for a Senator's daughter," Ushio replied angrily. "Now I won't ask you again; get in the car."

"No," Aki vowed.

"I warned you," Ushio muttered an instant before something was pressed against her spine. She felt a brief tingling, almost like a tickle, and then her world went black and she slumped forward, unconscious.

Ushio scooped her up and set her in the back of the car, strapping her in and shutting the door.

By the time he was done, the agents had returned from the small apartment, and one held up a deck. "I found it, sir," he declared obviously. "The deck with the Black Rose Dragon. I counted it twice; it seems like all the cards are here."

"Good, then somebody close the damned door and let's get out of here. I've got papers to sign," Ushio stated as he moved to straddle his D-Wheel.

* * *

**When she** woke up several hours later, she found herself in an unfamiliar room, and panic set in. It didn't ease as she remembered what had happened before she'd lost consciousness.

_Yusei…I'm sorry,_ she thought weakly as her eyes burned with fresh tears.

"Ah, you're awake," a smooth, refined voice declared softly from several feet away.

Aki tensed and pushed herself to a sitting position; she was lying on a couch, a light quilt draped over her. The room around her looked like a formal living room, decorated with expensive, tasteful style. The room itself would have told her that she was back in the city, if she hadn't already made that assumption.

She turned her gaze to the man sitting across from her, in a large, comfortable-looking armchair. He looked to be in his early twenties, with calculating eyes and a disarming smile on his face.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice cracking on the first word. "Where are we?"

"Please, relax," he said, unfolding his hands from his lap and holding them out palms-forward. "My name is Divine, and I want to help you. You're at the Arcadia Movement headquarters."

Aki frowned. "And how are _**you**_ going to help me?"

"I've heard about your reputation, Miss Izayoi. I'm very impressed. And I think you'll find I can understand you better than anyone else; I can offer you a place to truly _**belong**_."

"I _**had**_ a place where I belonged," Aki snapped.

"Yes, the Satellite," Divine amended, "but you're not there anymore, and I don't think Sector Security would appreciate it if you returned after all of their hard work. What I'm offering you is an alternative." He paused and stood, being careful not to corner her. "But please, rest first; you're probably still rather weak from your journey. I'll have some food brought up for you."

As he walked away, Aki slumped against the couch and let her tears fall. _I knew; I knew something would come along and ruin what I'd found. But I never imagined it would end like this…._

* * *

**Yusei was** smiling when he got home shortly after four o'clock that afternoon. He stuck his key in the lock and turned it, and his smile faltered when he realized that the door was already unlocked. _Could she have forgotten to lock it?_

Pushing the door open, he stepped inside and knew immediately that something was wrong. Aki was not in the front room or the kitchen, and the front room looked a bit disheveled. The bookcase beside the TV was in disarray, which was not how they kept it.

Frowning now as concern washed over his previous good mood, Yusei called, "Aki? Are you home?"

When he received no response, he quickly passed the bathroom, which one glance had already told him was empty, to the bedroom. Her travel cloak was still discarded on the foot of the bed, where she usually left it during the day in case she decided to go out again. Her sandals were on the floor by the small night-table.

His eyes landed almost instantly on her satchel, which was usually shoved in a back corner of the closet. It was lying in the middle of the floor, looking as if someone had gone digging through it and then just dropped it and walked away.

He dropped to his knees beside it and reached inside, where she kept her deck. She'd shown him once, after she'd told him her secret, where she kept it. His hands found the pocket easily, but the deck was gone.

"No," Yusei breathed as he began to suspect the reason for her absence, and the apartment's unusual state. "Aki!?" he called again, his voice sounding desperate, even to his own ears.

He jumped to his feet and ran to the front room, and then the kitchen, hoping to find a note to explain her disappearance. Of course, he found none.

And then Kiryu's theory, which he'd mentioned only earlier that day, returned to him.

"_So maybe it's not some criminal," Kiryu had suggested. "Maybe it's someone important who's gone missing."_

_Important…like a Senator's daughter,_ Yusei realized, a dead weight settling in his chest. It seemed so obvious now; he wondered how on earth he hadn't seen it before. It should have been his first thought.

Then a spark of hope had him reaching for a piece of paper. _Maybe she grabbed her deck to hide the evidence that she was here, and made a run for it before they could grab her. That would mean I can find her and bring her home._ He knew it was desperate, but he had to try.

Finding a pen, he scrawled a quick note, leaving it on the kitchen table, just in case she came home while he was out. He managed to remember to use her alias, on the chance someone else found the note first. Then he was out the door, leaving it locked behind him, and starting the search.

* * *

**He'd covered** all of the usual places she went when she was feeling like going somewhere, and he made sure to detour down every dark alley, in case she found an invisible nook to take shelter in.

He even stopped by her old place and asked Naoko if she'd seen Aki; of course, he had to lie and tell her they'd had an argument and she'd gotten upset and run off, but the woman seemed to believe him. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen Aki.

He was starting to think he'd have to branch out, cover all of Satellite in his quest, when a familiar voice caught him off-guard.

"Yusei? I thought you were going home?" The voice belonged to Kiryu, and he sounded genuinely confused as he approached his friend.

"Oh, hey," Yusei mumbled as he scanned the otherwise-empty street before them.

"Uh, hello, you in there pal? What's got you so distracted?"

"It's Aki," Yusei whispered. "She's…missing."

Kiryu's eyes went wide for half a second, and he finally said, "Where've you already looked?"

"Everywhere I could think of; I was getting ready to head to South Side next."

"Damn. Ok, well, we'll split up. You go South, I'll go North, I'll tell Jack and Crow to take East and West. If she's anywhere, we'll find her," Kiryu promised.

Yusei nodded, unable to tell his friend what he was really thinking. During his search, he'd realized that he hadn't seen any Security at all since that morning; it was as if they'd found what, or who, they were searching for.

But he refused to give up until he knew for sure that she was gone. So he met Kiryu's gaze, said "Ok," and then turned and ran towards the South Side of the Satellite. It was all he could do.

* * *

**It was **dawn before Team Satisfaction finally regrouped. Yusei dragged into the hangout, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, and something none of them wanted to think about.

"So, I take it she wasn't at the apartment?" Crow asked, for lack of anything to say. Jack and Kiryu gave him sour looks and he shrugged. "Sorry."

They all watched as Yusei slumped in the desk chair, crossed his arms on the table-top, and dropped his head on top of his arms.

When he made no move to speak, Jack broke the silence. "How could she have just disappeared off the face of the earth like that?"

"I can't imagine her doing something to make Sector Security arrest her," Crow added seriously.

"I don't think they arrested her," Yusei stated tiredly without lifting his head.

The other three looked over at him with raised eyebrows, and Kiryu spoke, "I take it that means you think they did _**something**_ with her, though?"

"They must've taken her back to the city," he replied, still without lifting his head.

"_**Back**_ to the city?!" Jack repeated incredulously. His tone matched all of their expressions.

Finally, Yusei lifted his head, though his eyes remained locked on the table. "Aki…was never a citizen of the Satellite. She ran away from the city just a couple of months before we met that day, because no one ever seemed to give a damn about her over there." He paused and swallowed, forcing himself to admit his defeat.

He'd lost her.

"But if no one cared, then why would anyone even _**think**_ to look over here?" Kiryu pushed.

"Because," Yusei began, "she's a Senator's daughter."

"Oh," Crow said softly, "Damn, Yusei, I'm sorry."

Jack went silent and shifted to glare at the rising sun.

Kiryu swore angrily. "Son of a bitch. I really think I hate Sector Security."

Yusei ignored their reactions as his head dropped back to the table and his eyes drooped shut. An image of Aki's smiling face -her dancing amber eyes, the wind blowing her hair- invaded his vision, and he felt a burning sensation behind his eyes.

_I never realized exactly how much she meant to me…._

As he began to slip into a deep, dreamless, restless slumber, he swore to himself that someday, somehow, he'd find her again. He'd do whatever it took, just to get the chance to tell her.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ My evilness has finally gotten its release! But, I suppose we all knew it had to happen, right? So, tell me, what did you think? Did I do it believably, or did it suck? C'mon, I need to know these things!! Oh, and uh, please do stay tuned for chapter seven (that is, if you wanna know what happens next)!!


	7. Life Goes On

_**IMPORTANT A/N:**_ Alrighty!! Chapter seven is here!! And I am soooo sorry for the long update; the holidays threw my schedule off, please forgive me! I'll be doing a double-update to make for it!

Anyway, I do have some important information for you to know about the rest of this story (especially this chapter): I am _**NOT**_ dealing with the events that happened between where chapter 6 left off and episode 1 of the anime. Obviously we know that 1) Kiryu went cuckoo, killed a Security agent, got himself killed, yada-yada-yada; 2) Jack turned into an asshole, stole Stardust & Yusei's first D-Wheel, and became the new Duel King; and 3) Aki joined the Arcadia Movement. I'm hoping that, at least mostly, all of those things can stay the same (at least up to this point).

Now, this may seem strange, but there really would be no point in starting with Yusei's arrival in Neo Domino City (& his subsequent duel with Jack) because for the most part I have nothing I need to change there. So I'll be starting this chapter _**after**_ all of that, with the day he's released from The Facility. Even at that, I suspect that the story may be a bit jumpy until the start of the Fortune Cup, but I can't very well just jump right into that. So please just trust me and be patient; I'll make it as painless as possible. Whew, ok, now I feel long-winded! Enough rambling, let's get this party started!! LOL

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own YGO 5Ds (or any other YGO, sadly).

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 7: Life Goes On**

**Yusei looked** up at the elaborate city before him, taking a deep breath of the unusually clean air, and almost wanted to smile. Once upon a time, just to be in Neo Domino City would have thrilled him. As it was, he had too many heartaches associated with it to take any significant amount of pleasure from it now.

It had been over two years since he'd been truly happy with his life; so much had changed in just two years time, it almost scared him. And all of the things that had been good back then, in some way, were here in this city now.

Well, almost all of them. Some were lost in the sands of time.

_I don't have time for reflection,_ he reminded himself sharply. _I have to go find this 'Saiga' guy and see if he can't help me get my D-Wheel back. Then I have to find Jack and settle the score between us once and for all. And then, I have to find her. I have no idea where to even start looking, but that doesn't matter._

As he walked, he snapped himself out of his reverie; he'd been down this path a dozen times or more, just since he'd been in the city. It had been his first thought, after he'd beaten Ushio and broken through; right up until Jack had interrupted him.

_But first thing's first; let's find Saiga._ So, knowing there was only one way to get any of his goals achieved, he headed in the direction Himura had pointed him.

* * *

**He'd wandered** around the city, trying to look like he wasn't heading in any particular direction, for several hours. When it started to get dark, however, he knew he had to act, despite the fact that he was being followed.

So he found himself in an out-of-the-way bar, occupied almost exclusively by men who had more marks on their face than he did. Of course, even after he presented Himura's card to the bartender, he left without a trace of Saiga.

He had barely enough time to wonder if perhaps his new friend had been wrong when the man he'd been searching for finally made his entrance. Yusei found himself tossed on the back of an old D-Wheel practically before he'd had the chance to register the sight of it. By then, the driver of the machine was scanning his marker with something that would supposedly negate its tracking capabilities for a short while.

_So this is Saiga,_ he thought as the city lights rushed by them.

* * *

**Everything was** set and ready to go. Saiga had given him everything he needed to get into the Impound Center and retrieve his D-Wheel. Whether or not the mission was a success was up to him.

Soon Yusei found himself slipping quietly into the building, even as most of the people were rushing out, eager to get home. He was somewhat amazed at how easy it was to get upstairs, past the security drones, and find the room where his D-Wheel was being held.

Which was why he wasn't overly shocked to find that someone had been waiting for him; although he hadn't expected it to be Ushio. _Can't he ever leave me alone?_ Yusei thought fleetingly as he glared up at the Security officer.

_Still, I came this far, I'm not stopping now._ He ground his teeth silently as Ushio's men surged forward to trap him. When they got too close, he easily leapt up onto the rim of the crate that surrounded his D-Wheel, and with a slight smirk aimed at Ushio, he dropped inside.

He could only hope he didn't actually hurt any of the officers surrounding the crate as he revved the engine and crashed through the simple plywood, speeding quickly into the hall and hoping to make it out the exit without a problem. But he knew he was practically guaranteed a problem with Ushio so close.

Just a few seconds later, Ushio crashed into him, proving him right. The officer quickly engaged the Speed World Spell Card, forcing Yusei into a duel as they sped through the halls of the building.

* * *

**Yusei stared** at the photograph in his hand long after Ushio and the purple-haired man had driven off into the night. _How does everything keep getting more complicated?_ he wondered in frustration. He'd barely been away from the twins' apartment in the Tops Sector for five minutes when Ushio had, once again, ambushed him. But instead of finding himself locked in yet another Riding Duel, he suddenly found himself being blackmailed into entering the Fortune Cup.

_Sure, it'll give me my rematch with Jack; my opportunity to settle the score, but at what price? My friends never did anything to deserve being dragged into this. And they used to be _**our**_ friends; how could Jack just sit back and let Goodwin play with their lives like that?_

He ground his teeth as the obvious answer reared its ugly head. Jack simply wasn't the man he'd been just two years ago. He was much more ruthless now; willing to do anything it took to get to the top, and stay there.

_But there's something else going on here,_ Yusei reminded himself as he finally tucked the photograph of his friends from the Satellite into his coat pocket. He stuck the invitation to the tournament with it as well as a reminder. _I have no idea what it is, exactly, but it must have something to do with those symbols that appeared on our arms during that duel._

With a shake of his head, he restarted the engine and spun off in the direction of Saiga's place; he had nowhere else to go at the moment, unless he wanted to break into Tops to endanger the twins some more.

* * *

**It was** late, and he knew he should be sleeping. Everything was as squared away as it could be; Saiga had agreed to sneak into the Satellite to check on his friends. He was going to enter that tournament and make Jack pay for everything he'd done, and he would take back his Stardust Dragon while he was at it.

Inspiration, or perhaps morbid curiosity, made Yusei get up from the couch he was resting on and head to the slightly dusty computer. _I hope he won't mind,_ Yusei thought briefly as he booted it up and quickly pulled up a popular search engine.

In no time at all he realized his ridiculous urge had gotten him nowhere. All that came up when he searched for 'Aki Izayoi' was a small listing of suggested alternative searches. Most of those were about her father, the Senator. But so far as the internet seemed to be aware, no one by the name of Aki Izayoi even existed; at least not in or around the Neo Domino City area.

So instead he pulled up a couple of different pages about her father, not sure what he was looking for. He skimmed through all the political stuff, pausing when one of the sites talked about his personal life. He was apparently still married to Aki's mother, and one site even listed that at the time he'd taken office he'd had a young child; but that was all they knew of Aki.

_They really have disowned her, even now,_ Yusei realized sadly. Disgust washed over him and he quietly shut down Saiga's computer. It disturbed him greatly that he could find _**no**_ mention of her existence whatsoever. It made him worry that something had happened to her; something that could certainly take her out of the limelight permanently.

With that morbid thought unleashing chaos in his mind, he returned to the couch and tried again to find sleep. Like it or not, he simply didn't have the time to search for her yet; that would have to wait, it seemed, until after the Fortune Cup.

* * *

**Jack sped **off, disappearing down the street on his D-Wheel, and Himura and the others were approaching him, curious about the champion's visit. But Yusei heard none of it, not even Yanagi as he ranted about how Jack must have given him some supremely rare card. He heard nothing they said, as his eyes were locked on the card he now held; a card he hadn't gotten to really look at since Jack had stolen it nearly two years prior.

_Stardust,_ he whispered silently. The memory of the day he'd received the card was busy tearing through him. It was a memory he'd cherished, and drawn from, since the moment it had become a memory. But over the years, its meaning had changed.

_Welcome back, buddy,_ he thought as he finally pulled his attention out of the past. With Stardust back in his deck, he was one step closer to his goals.

"Well? What is it?" Yanagi pushed, trying in vain to get a glimpse. Silently, Yusei turned the card around so that they could all see the dragon printed there.

* * *

**Yusei looked** into the crowd gathered before him, as he stood with Himura, Yanagi, and Saiga, when he heard the familiar, young voice.

"Excuse me, hey, mister, have you seen the Black Rose Witch?" Rua was asking, speaking to a man in the crowd.

The man gave him a strange look and said, "Why would I _**want**_ to? Go away, kid."

"Rua," Yusei called out before the boy could try and shove his way further into the crowd. He stepped towards him, and his friends followed a couple of feet behind.

The boy in question froze briefly and turned, and Yusei noted that he was wearing his newly-fixed duel-disk on his arm. Rua's eyes lit up with recognition and he abandoned his previous course as he jogged over excitedly, his dark-haired friend following at a more cautious pace.

"Oh, hey, it's you!" Rua exclaimed loudly. "Thanks for fixing my duel-disk!"

Yusei chuckled softly and his lips curved upwards at the edges. "No problem; it was the least I could do since you and your sister let me stay with you for a while."

"Yeah, what happened to you? You totally disappeared! If it was Ruka's fault, she's totally sorry," Rua rambled.

"It wasn't anyone's fault; I just had some things to take care of," Yusei promised.

Rua's friend nudged him awkwardly and leaned close in an attempt to whisper, all the while staring at Yusei's marked face with wide, fearful eyes.

Rua looked appalled at his friend's words, interrupting him to argue, "What're you talking about?! He's no bad guy, he's a superhero! He even fixed mine and Ruka's duel-disks!"

"You're a superhero now?" Himura teased with a chuckle.

"I don't know, Rua," the friend muttered hesitantly. "And besides, we're not here to talk; we're here to find the Black Rose Witch so I can duel her!"

_Black Rose Witch? I wonder what they're talking about,_ Yusei thought. "Who's this Black Rose Witch?"

Rua stared at him in shock, and even his friend's expression shifted into something that wasn't complete terror. "You mean you don't know?!" Rua exclaimed in a tone that matched his expression.

"The Black Rose Witch is a myth," Himura stated.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Yanagi countered immediately. "I've seen plenty of things to believe in power like hers!"

Yusei frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The Black Rose Witch is real," Rua's friend asserted firmly, "and all my research says she'll be here today."

"She's supposedly a duelist with the ability to make her cards become real," Saiga elaborated calmly, "so that they do real damage."

Yusei felt his stomach do a back-flip as he digested their words. _Could this Black Rose Witch really be her?_ He remembered the name of her favorite monster; the Black Rose Dragon. And when she'd described her gift, she'd described herself as a monster; her powers as a curse. But would she really go around dueling people and associating herself as a witch?

He knew the answer as soon as he thought the question. Without someone around to show her that she was worthwhile; that she wasn't a bad person and that she wasn't completely alone in the world, she could easily slip into a place that dark.

The knowledge made his heart sink.

That was when the ground shook beneath them, and everyone turned their attention forward, in the direction that the crowd was suddenly running _**from**_.

A woman stood there, surrounded and obscured by smoke, in a full-length brown cloak with the hood pulled up. She wore a porcelain mask over her face, and black gloves covered every centimeter of her otherwise exposed arm and hands. But a stray lock of not-quite red hair was visible as the breeze pulled it loose and free of the confines of her hood.

In all his life, Yusei had only known one person with hair that color. _Aki._

But as another round of shaking began, his arm chose that moment to start burning. A searing pain tore through him, bringing him to his knees as he yanked back his sleeve, to see that symbol glowing brightly on his right arm once again. It was the same one that had appeared during his duel with Jack.

The shaking had stopped then, and when he looked back up, to call out to her, he realized with a start that she was gone. It was as if she'd never been there at all.

And the burning in his arm was gone, too.

* * *

**"What's the** matter with you?" Saiga asked later that evening, when the group had returned to his place and the others were occupied with other things.

Yusei hadn't spoken more than a sentence since their strange encounter in the narrows, and that sentence had been for Rua; to "go on home; I'll see you at the Fortune Cup."

He was usually a quiet person, but even those who hadn't known him very long could tell something was different about this silence.

So Saiga pushed him. "Are you listening to me?" he asked, louder than before.

Yusei lifted his eyes from where they'd fallen, and looked in Saiga's direction. The older man was sitting, cross-legged and arms crossed, frowning, on his couch. "Sorry, did you say something?"

Saiga sighed heavily, shook his head, and replied, "Yes, I did. What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Yusei asked.

"Don't play dumb with me; you've gone mute on us. You're not even listening when we talk to you. So what is it? Are you still worrying about your friends?"

It was Yusei's turn to frown. "Of course I'm still worried about my friends," he started seriously. "But that's…not what's on my mind just now."

"Ok," Saiga accepted, "then what is?"

"The…Black Rose Witch," he cringed as he said it, but he knew it was the easiest way to get his friend on the same page as him. "Is that _**all**_ you know about her?"

Saiga's look turned curious and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, pretty much. She shows up out of nowhere, duels someone, usually causing a lot of damage while she's at it, and then vanishes. That's why most people don't even believe she's real. Why?"

"Because I know her," Yusei admitted, his voice quiet and his jaw tight.

"You've got to be kidding me," Saiga replied. "How is it you manage to know everyone?"

Yusei's frown deepened. "I knew her before she was the…woman we saw today. She was my girlfriend for a while," he said, hesitating as he debated how much to reveal. But what was the point in hiding it? "She'd come to the Satellite looking for a new life. Eventually she moved in with me when she didn't have anywhere else to go; we were happy for a while. But then she got dragged back to the city, and I haven't seen her since; not until this afternoon."

"And you still have feelings for her, don't you?" Saiga guessed.

Yusei reached into his jacket pocket and pulled Stardust out, showing him the card. "She's the one who gave me this card," he said.

"She just _**gave**_ you a card that powerful?"

"For my birthday," Yusei added as he slipped Stardust safely back into his jacket. "Stardust has always been special to me, and that was why I had to get him back from Jack."

"Did Jack know her, too?" Saiga asked curiously.

Yusei nodded silently.

Saiga shook his head and pushed himself to his feet. "Man, Yusei, you travel in some weird circles." He paused then, as he headed to the stairs, and added, "Look, I'm not gonna tell anyone about your girlfriend; that's your business. But you need to keep yourself focused; remember, you have other friends out there who need you, too."

"I know," Yusei said through gritted teeth, his meeting with that purple-haired man replaying in his mind's eye. Then he met Saiga's patient gaze and hoped that he could see the gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you," he added quietly.

Saiga nodded and disappeared up the stairs, giving Yusei some much-needed privacy.

* * *

**The morning **of the Fortune Cup was at hand. Yusei and his new group of friends had met up with Rua, Ruka, and Rua's friend Tenpei in the halls of the large Kaiba Dome.

Rua, disturbingly enough, really was dressed up to look like his twin sister. Ruka, for her part, was hiding in an abnormally large overcoat, and a hat to help hide her face.

"Well, I see you're all ready for the day," Yusei commented with a grin as he took in Rua's appearance.

"Can you please talk him out of this?" Ruka asked, sounding embarrassed and desperate. "He's going to humiliate me."

Rua looked offended. "Oh, _**relax**_, Ruka! I totally know how to be you! I'm your _**twin**_, remember?"

Ruka heaved a dramatic sigh and held the overcoat closed tightly. "I'm doomed. This is so embarrassing."

An intercom announcement declared that it was time for the spectators to find their seats, so Himura wished Yusei and Rua good luck and led the small entourage to the bleachers. When they'd walked out of sight, Yusei looked down at the boy -who looked freakishly like a girl- and allowed a small grin to cross his face.

"You ready?"

Rua beamed excitedly, making a fist as he spoke. "Oh, yeah! I'm so excited, I can hardly wait! But, uh, do you know which way we're supposed to go?"

Yusei's grin broadened slightly and he pointed down the hall. "That way, I think."

"Sweet!" Rua declared, bolting in the direction Yusei had pointed.

"Hey, wait for me," Yusei called after him, chuckling internally at his exuberance.

* * *

**Yusei paid** no real attention to the six other duelists who were standing off to his and Rua's left in the semi-darkness as they waited for their introduction to begin. Everyone's attention was fixed on the large holo-screen before them, which allowed them to watch the official opening of the Fortune Cup.

Jack made a grand, over-the-top, entrance as usual, and proudly proclaimed himself to be the world's best duelist. He issued the required challenge to each competitor of the tournament; daring them to take a stab at dethroning him.

Then the tournament's MC took over, enthusiastically introducing Director Goodwin for the crowd. Goodwin made some speech that Yusei barely listened to, and before long, the MC was talking again.

The holographic image before them blinked out, and the mood in the room became suddenly tense as they all awaited their rise to the tournament. They weren't waiting long, as the floor they stood on began to lift them up, and the roof overhead slid back to make room for their arrival.

As their platforms settled into the rest of the stadium floor, Yusei looked up and locked gazes with Jack briefly. But then the reigning Duel King looked away, keeping his cool in front of all of his fans, and Yusei looked forward as well.

Large holo-screens were set up around the upper rim of the Kaiba Dome, to provide a more close-up view of the action for the crowd in the surrounding bleachers. The screens were currently cycling through the images of the eight duelists; many of the crowd were already grumbling, as they'd noticed the marker on Yusei's face.

But Yusei wasn't paying them any attention, as he was busy staring at the new image on the screens; the only actual female in the group of duelists. Though she looked a bit different, she didn't nearly look unrecognizable.

_Aki,_ Yusei thought, his heart hammering against his chest. Was it possible? Could she really be here; just a dozen feet away from where he stood? It was almost too much to hope for, and yet the proof had been on the screen just a second ago.

* * *

**Aki tried** not to glare at the crowd as she stood in the line-up impatiently, waiting for the opening ceremony to end. _I wonder if Jack's recognized me yet,_ she thought fleetingly as the temptation to glance up at him nearly made her turn her head. Ultimately, though, she didn't care. If she'd wanted to get in touch with him, she could have probably arranged it sometime over the past year and a half. But she and Jack had never really been close; and contacting Jack would just dredge up all those old, painful memories of another life.

So she kept her gaze straight, frowning slightly into the crowd, not really seeing anything other than a blur of colors. But curiosity tugged at her when she heard the shift in the crowd's energy; it sounded like they were mumbling about something. _Why would they be upset? No one's done anything yet._

Reflexively, she flicked her eyes around, trying to see what had caused the shift. And then something highly unexpected made her breath catch in her throat; or perhaps that was her heart.

Yusei's familiar, and yet obviously different, face looked back at her from the set of holo-screens high above. She saw immediately the biggest difference; the bright yellow marker on his face. And though she knew that was probably what had the crowd all in a tizzy, since they didn't know who she was, she couldn't bring herself to dwell on it.

_He's here…Yusei is here; he's one of the duelists in the tournament. How is that possible?_ She was shocked, so unprepared for seeing him that it took her several long seconds before she realized that someone was speaking.

He looked like he might possibly have been taller than Jack, and he was definitely larger, with muscles so big she briefly wondered how he made it through the doorway. Her ponderings vanished, however, when she realized he was talking about Yusei; defending him against the crowd.

And as he spoke, and she realized he must know she was there, too, another thought finally made itself known. _What am I supposed to do? What do I say? I can't ignore him; probably I should, but I can't…I never thought I'd get to see him again. But he probably hates me now, after what happened. He probably has no idea what really happened._

Try as she might, a solitary tear slid down her cheek silently. Seeing Yusei again was something she'd longed for, but at the same time, it was something she feared like nothing else. Because she knew that his rejection would destroy her; and who wouldn't reject someone who'd so utterly abandoned them?

Suddenly wary, she forced herself to breathe normally for the rest of the opening ceremony. It was all she could do.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Ok, first, I'm sorry if this chapter seemed kind of awkward! I wanted it to have some sort of lead-in, and still fit the anime as best I could; hopefully it's working out so far! Obviously some big changes to certain things (cough -episodes 23 & 24- cough) will be happening shortly; this is unavoidable. But please stick with me; I'm hoping you'll like them! Now, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me (it's possible I blanked on something important, after all), and even if you don't; please review!! Oh, and, go read chapter eight!


	8. The More Things Change

_**A/N:**_ Whew! I can't tell you what a relief it is to have that transition chapter behind me! So, let me pause now and say: thanks for having enough patience & understanding to stick with me! I promise this chapter will be much less summary-oriented than 7 was!! Now, I think I said all my important stuff last time (if you need a refresher, please go read chapter 7's A/N), so in that case: please enjoy!!

**Disclaimer:** I have read all of my various pieces of scratch paper, and typed paper, and not even in microscopic print have I found anything that states I own YGO 5Ds. So I don't; still.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 8: The More Things Change…**

**Aki ground** her teeth together as the official first-round lineup was announced. The first duel was between the little girl standing beside Yusei, Ruka, and the muscle-man, Bommer. Aki had been hoping that she or Yusei would be in the first duel of the tournament, so that she might have more time to figure out what to say to him; and _**how**_ to say it.

Ever since her re-location back to the city, she'd been sour and heartless towards practically everyone she'd spoken to. Her most civilized conversations had been only with Divine, and even those conversations were far from casual or comfortable. Since her time with the Arcadia Movement, she'd learned to embrace her anger; her sadness. Those had become her dominant emotions over the past two years.

But she knew in her heart, without question, she simply couldn't turn the force of those emotions on Yusei. He'd been the one person she'd ever known, ever trusted, who hadn't betrayed her. They'd been torn apart without his knowledge, and so she secretly clung to the belief that he would have fought for her, had he been able to.

_I guess now I'll know whether or not I've been giving him too much credit these past couple of years._

She pulled herself back into the present as the obnoxious MC declared that the first duel was about to begin. The remaining six duelists were to reconvene in a back room, to watch the duel and await their turn on stage.

The group of them began filing silently out of the stadium, walking around the mini-mountain known as Bommer. As she walked, Aki caught sight of Yusei speaking to the little girl. He clapped her on the shoulder and gave her what looked like a nod of encouragement. The girl gave him a thumbs-up before waving as Yusei moved to walk away.

That was when Yusei looked up, past the girl, and settled his intelligent blue gaze directly onto Aki's own.

Aki bit her lip subconsciously but forced herself not to blush or look away. She hadn't done anything wrong, no matter how awkward things were about to become. Especially since it was apparent, at least to her, that he was waiting for her to catch up.

When she'd reached him, he silently turned and began walking calmly in the direction that the others had gone. She was grateful that he didn't seem to want to get into it in such a public area, and so she remained silent, while reflexively altering her pace to match his.

* * *

**They walked **in the back of the group in silence, occasionally risking a sideways glance at the other. Yusei kept his hands balled tightly into fists, afraid he'd reach over to touch her and find perhaps he'd dreamt everything. Aki walked with her arms curled around her waist, an expression of sadness and worry, and something that resembled fear dancing across her face.

Soon the others had disappeared into the lobby where they'd been asked to wait. The man in the old-fashioned armor paused and held the door open for them politely. Yusei uncurled one hand and waved it half-heartedly, giving a slight shake of his head. The man nodded and continued inside, letting the door slide silently shut.

Yusei and Aki came to a stop, and a long, awkward pause greeted them, as both searched for the right thing to say.

Yusei went first, turning to face her without putting any additional distance between them. His eyes were serious and concerned, and he kept his voice soft. He wanted her to know that he wasn't angry with her. "How are you?"

Aki blinked, her amber eyes widening as she looked up, searching his face. She clearly hadn't expected that question. Finally, she let her arms drop loosely at her sides and she murmured, "I'm alright, I guess. What about you?"

"I've been worse," Yusei replied honestly. "It's good to see you again."

Tears pooled in her eyes as Aki dragged in a deep breath, saying, "Yusei, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I swear, I wouldn't have left if I'd had any choice; any at all." She hated how weak she sounded, how her voice grew softer; more timid. "I just hope you can understand that. I never wanted any of this."

"Aki," Yusei breathed, "I've never been upset with you. As soon as I saw you were missing, I knew what must have happened; I was only angry at myself for not being there. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You're-you're not angry?" Aki whispered, amazement in her voice.

"Of course not," Yusei assured her.

A sad, bitter, and yet genuine smile curved Aki's lips ever-so-slightly as one single tear broke through her restraint. "I've missed you, Yusei. And, I want you to know that no matter what happens later, I'll always be glad for this moment. I never regretted anything more than not getting the chance to say goodbye before."

Yusei frowned at her words, and as he removed the glove from his right hand to gently wipe away the tear from her cheek, he said, "This doesn't have to be goodbye, Aki. Not if you don't want it to be."

"What do you mean?" Aki asked as she reached up to catch Yusei's hand and hold it against her cheek.

As soon as her fingers grazed over his, their arms lit up with a bright crimson glow. For once, the glow did not bring with it a searing pain, but merely a faint tingling sensation.

Surprise overtook both of their expressions, as they spared a fleeting glance toward their own arms, before looking again into each other's eyes.

In the silence, Aki grabbed his arm in both of her hands and pushed back the sleeve of his jacket, staring wide-eyed at the glowing symbol on his forearm. A symbol she was absolutely positive had never been there before.

"How is this possible?" she breathed, her mind spinning even as the glow finally began to fade. For the briefest of moments, his mark remained, and then without warning, it, too faded away. "It…it's gone, but how?"

"I don't know," Yusei admitted, not even trying to reclaim his arm. "It first appeared during my last duel with Jack, when Stardust and Red Demon Dragon were fighting."

Aki looked up at him as he spoke, keeping silent as various emotions rolled across her face.

When their eyes met again, he added, "And it appeared again yesterday, at the narrows; right before you disappeared."

"You were there?" Aki's question was rhetorical, more thinking out loud than actually asking, and her eyes drifted back down to his bare arm. "But that still doesn't explain how yours goes away like that."

"No, it doesn't," Yusei agreed. "I think Goodwin has the answers, but the only way I can get them out of him is through this tournament. And I'm willing to bet Jack knows more than he's letting on, too."

"I've always hated my mark," Aki whispered, "but…I could never hate you." She bit her lip again and looked up, into his eyes, her expression almost pleading. "I don't know what to do, Yusei."

Yusei sighed as he watched her; she looked troubled and torn, almost heartbroken, even. He knew he couldn't really make all of her problems, whatever they were, go away; but he suspected he could help in at least some ways. So he shifted his arm, which she was still holding loosely, until he had her right hand held properly in his, and then he gently tugged her forward.

Aki stepped into him without hesitation. He held their joined hands up against his heart, and in that instant Aki knew that their time apart had only made her love him more. And suddenly all she could think about was how much she'd missed him; how she'd missed the nights when he just _**held**_ her after she'd had a nightmare. And how desperately she wanted to feel his arms around her again; his lips against hers.

As if in answer to her thoughts, his other arm curled around her waist and he leaned down slowly, silently giving her plenty of time to stop him. But he was going too slow for Aki's taste, so she reached up with her left hand and buried her fingers in his hair, pulling his lips over hers for the first time in far too long.

When they parted, Yusei finally released her hand and reached up, combing his fingers through her now-much-shorter hair. "You cut your hair," he commented idly.

Aki laughed softly, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his shoulder as she asked, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Yusei asked.

"Make it seem like it hasn't been two years since we've seen each other," Aki elaborated, pulling her head back to look at him. A frown curved her lips and she extended one hand, lightly tracing her fingers over his criminal marker. "What happened?"

Yusei smirked bitterly. "I broke into the city and dared to duel the King; I got caught right here in the Kaiba Dome and hauled away. Until Goodwin let me out so he could blackmail me into entering the tournament."

"Wait, what? Goodwin _**blackmailed**_ you? How?"

"He says he's taken Rally, Tank, Nervin, and Blitz hostage; that they'll be killed if I don't participate," Yusei explained.

Aki's eyes went wide again as she sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh my God," she whispered, "why would he even do that?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with these marks on our arms. Jack has one, too," Yusei replied.

"So it all comes back down to these wretched marks," Aki stated softly.

The soft, echoing sound of footsteps reached their ears then, as someone was casually walking in their direction. Yusei looked up expectantly. The hair on the back of Aki's neck stood up, and she knew instinctively that it was Divine.

_I don't want to deal with him right now; he'll have too many questions._ Pulling back slightly from Yusei's steady embrace, she grabbed his left hand and tugged lightly towards the door to the lobby room. "Come on, we should probably check in on the duel and see who's up next."

Yusei nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should." As they walked, Aki a step and a half ahead, he slipped his right glove back into place and adjusted his jacket sleeve.

* * *

**They took** a seat on the empty couch up front; most of the other occupants in the room were gathered around the large table, talking in hushed voices. The man in the light gray suit and glasses gave them a strange, almost angry look as they walked past; Aki ignored him and Yusei met the man's glare silently.

"It looks like that poor girl's struggling," Aki commented quietly as they turned their attention to the large screen.

Yusei rumbled almost silently with laughter, and she quirked an eyebrow at him curiously. That wasn't the reaction she would've expected.

Leaning his head close to hers so that he could whisper in her ear, Yusei said, "That's actually Ruka's twin brother, Rua. Ruka didn't want to participate, so he took her place."

A grin spread over Aki's face as she understood. "That is sort of funny."

Yusei nodded, his amusement fading as Rua's Life Points took another dive. "You're right, though; Bommer's got the upper-hand."

They were silent for several minutes, watching the duel, until Aki finally spoke once again. "I don't know what your plans are, but it'd be nice if we could just sit down and catch up at some point."

Yusei covered her right hand with his left and gave it a gentle squeeze, saying, "How 'bout tonight, after the first round is over?"

Aki smiled. "I'd like that," she said honestly.

The MC's announcement that the duel had ended returned their attention to the screen. Behind them, the duelists at the table had gone silent also. Rua had lost; Bommer was advancing to the semi-finals.

And then the computer was reset to 'randomly' select the next two combatants.

"Looks like I'm up next," Aki stated as her picture locked into place on the screen, opposite the knight's.

Yusei nodded and met her gaze as she stood. "Good luck," he said.

Aki looked away briefly and muttered, "Just, please don't think less of me for what you see."

"Aki," Yusei said, standing as well and tilting her chin up, "I've heard about what you can do; from you and from a few others. It's a part of you, and there's nothing wrong with that."

A small smile shattered her shroud of sadness, and she said, "Have I mentioned how much I missed you?"

"Madam," the knight called from the doorway, giving her a meaningful look.

Aki's gaze flickered in his direction briefly before she looked back to Yusei and said, "See you soon." Then she turned and headed to the door, and her waiting competitor.

* * *

**"Are you** ready, Aki?" Divine asked as he stood with Aki, just out of sight of the crowd, before the stadium. Her opponent had just stepped into place on the other side of the dueling arena.

Aki looked past Divine, towards Gill de Randsborg, and nodded. "I am. He won't be a problem."

"Of course not," Divine agreed, placing a gloved hand on Aki's shoulder to get her to look at him. "That's not actually what I meant. I wanted to know if you were alright. I thought I saw a tear earlier, during the opening ceremony."

"I'm fine," Aki mumbled. "You must've been seeing things. Do you have my mask?"

Divine hesitated but let it go, releasing her shoulder to pull her mask out of his jacket and hand it over. "Right here," he said.

Aki took the mask and turned to begin her entrance onto the field. "It's time for the Black Rose Witch to make her debut," she declared indifferently.

As she made her way to her side of the field, Aki could only hope that Divine didn't pick up on her unusual mood. Although she knew he was bound to notice something, and it would probably be sooner rather than later.

* * *

**Yusei watched** silently as Aki finally stepped into view. Though the cameras almost immediately zoomed in on her face, he caught a faint glimpse of something white in her right hand. _It's that mask,_ he realized as he remembered the glimpse he'd caught of her the day before. _But why does she have it here?_

Once Aki was in position, the MC quickly announced the start of the duel. Even as he did so, Aki lifted her right hand and slipped her clean, simple mask into place.

Yusei frowned, knowing he would hate whatever reason she had for wearing that mask. He hated it the instant it was on, hiding her face from the world; from him.

The duel had barely begun when Bommer entered the room and headed for the couch. He paused and looked down at Yusei, asking, "Mind if I sit here?"

Yusei looked up, not expecting the voice, and nodded at the larger man.

For a short while, they both watched the duel in silence, as the knight continued to fool himself into thinking he had the upper hand. But soon enough, Aki made a move to knock him down a bit, and Yusei could finally see what it was she could do.

"I guess she really is the Black Rose Witch," Bommer said. "That power's impressive." Looking over at Yusei, he asked, "Have you ever seen her duel before?"

Yusei ground his teeth as he replied, "No, I haven't."

"I see," Bommer commented, looking back at the screen. At length, he added, "Randsborg doesn't have a chance; he's not properly prepared. But I'll be more than ready to take her down in the semi-finals."

"You're a good duelist, Bommer," Yusei admitted, "but you shouldn't underestimate her. She knows exactly what she's doing."

"That witch deserves nothing less than to be burned at the stake, like all of her ancestors," the man in the gray suit declared, suddenly standing over the back of the couch and half-glaring at the screen. "So I say," here he looked straight at Bommer, "take her down _**hard**_."

Bommer smirked at the comment, but it was Yusei who spoke. "So you'd condemn her for a power that's beyond her control?" At this point, he turned to glare up at the man standing over him. "Are you afraid of her? Or are you just so ignorant and self-absorbed that you can't bother to stop and consider _**her**_ position?"

"What position?" the man snapped. "She's a menace; a monster! She destroys buildings; she hurts innocent people, and she _**enjoys**_ it! And what proof do we have that she 'can't control' that power? That's probably just an excuse for her to let her powers run wild!"

"You're a fool, then," Yusei decided, deliberately keeping a tight leash on his temper. "And you're exactly the kind of person that's forced her to wear that mask." Then he turned his back on the man, refocusing his attention on Aki's duel.

"You're the fool," the man in the suit stated, "if you really think she's just some poor pathetic victim." He turned then and stalked away, walking out of the room.

"You really don't think she's dangerous?" Bommer asked after the other man had disappeared.

Yusei's eyes narrowed marginally as he replied, "Of course she's dangerous; but it's not her fault. She doesn't understand what she can do any better than you or I. And she's ridiculed for it; abused and mistreated. Who _**wouldn't**_ hide from that?"

"I see your point," Bommer stated somberly, watching the screen again. They drifted into silence as the duel quickly wound down, and Aki stood tall, victorious, while her opponent found himself knocked out of the tournament.

The MC wasted no time in declaring Aki the winner, even as she herself turned and silently walked off stage, her reaction to the crowd's boos hidden by her mask. Once the crowd had settled down again, the MC pressed on, letting the computer select the combatants for the next duel.

"Good luck out there," Bommer said as Yusei's picture locked into place. He was up next.

Yusei nodded a thank you and stood, even as his opponent disappeared through the door to prepare. It would be the Fortune Cup's first Riding Duel.

* * *

**Himura met** up with Yusei in the long corridor, offering to help him prep his D-Wheel for the duel. Yusei accepted his friend's offer, and together they walked down the hall. As they rounded a corner, Yusei caught a glimpse of two people walking in the opposite direction down a side hall: Aki and a man he didn't recognize.

"…surprised it took you that long," the unknown man said.

"He was tougher than I thought he'd be; besides, it was no big deal. I won, didn't I?" Aki replied sharply.

Her companion's reply was lost to Yusei's ears as they walked out of hearing range, rounding a corner and disappearing all together.

"Yusei, you alright?" Himura asked, noticing his friend's distraction.

"Yeah," Yusei said, looking forward and continuing his path. "I'm fine." _Who is that guy? Obviously he's someone she knows. It's still strange, having such a big chunk of time separating us like this; it feels like I barely know her. But that's not true; I know she's still the person she used to be, on the inside. It's just that that part of her is buried; hidden behind that mask._

He pushed the thoughts from his head as they reached the room where his D-Wheel was waiting. He had to focus on his upcoming duel for now. Later, when he had a chance to talk to Aki, hopefully everything would make sense.

* * *

**"Rest now,** Aki; you won't have to duel again today," Divine stated, reaching out and lightly stroking one long strand of her hair before turning and walking away, leaving her alone in her room.

Aki stepped back and let the door slide shut before she turned and reached for the remote. With a single click, the large holographic television flickered to life. She didn't want to miss Yusei's duel.

Silently, she curled up on her bed, pulling her knees tight against her chest. _It's still so surreal to think that he's really here; that I really get to see him and talk to him again, after all this time. But at the same time, I'm scared…what if he doesn't like how I've changed? Would I be able to deal with a rejection from him?_

She tried not to think about that possibility as the MC announced the start of the duel; the day's first Riding Duel, no less. And then Yusei made his entrance, bursting forth on his bright red D-Wheel. Aki smiled to herself at the sight; he looked like he belonged there.

Aki watched intently as the duel began, and his opponent revealed himself to be the former Duel King. She was unsurprised when Yusei accepted his challenge. What did surprise her was that, as the duel proceeded, she found she recognized several of his cards; they were cards he'd been using before.

She found herself biting her nails when it looked like the former King had guaranteed himself the win; he had an almost unbeatable combo in play, and far more Speed Counters than Yusei.

Soon enough, however, her worries were put to rest. She smiled in satisfaction when Yusei defeated his surprise challenger. "Congratulations," Aki whispered aloud, knowing that Yusei couldn't hear her.

_But for your sake,_ she thought, _I hope we don't meet up in the dueling arena tomorrow. I don't want to hurt you._

Yusei looked up then, towards Goodwin's tower, where he and Jack were watching the tournament, and she knew in her gut that they would have to duel each other. Because Yusei wasn't just fighting for glory; he never did, it seemed. And she knew the remaining duelists, no matter who won the final round, wouldn't really be a match for her.

With a sigh, she clicked off the television and uncurled herself from the bed. She didn't care about the final match; she had to figure out how to get away from Arcadia for a short while; she had to find Yusei. After all, he had promised her that they could catch up.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Ok, well, the reunion is done! Hopefully it was fairly believable! Oh, and, I think I should explain a bit about Aki & Divine's relationship. The way I've set this story up, I just don't think she would be as close to him as she is in the anime, but I'm hoping it'll be clear that she does still have an appreciation for him. So to all of you Aki x Divine shippers who happen to be reading this, I'm afraid the most you'll find for that here would be from Divine's side of things. Hope that answers any questions you may have, but please feel free to ask me if you have others! Or review in general if you're so inclined!!


	9. Heart to Heart

_**A/N:**_ Alrighty everyone, it's time for chapter nine! I really don't have anything new to say, however, so I won't babble on forever. Please enjoy this installment!!

**Disclaimer:** Nothing has changed since the previous eight chapters….

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 9: Heart-to-Heart**

**"I'm going** out," Aki said casually as she walked past Divine's open office door.

Divine called out to her from behind his desk, looking up at her words, "Where are you going?"

Aki stopped walking and frowned as she looked over at him. "I'm going for a walk; I'm allowed, aren't I?"

"Yes, of course," Divine assured her. "It's simply not something you usually do; I was concerned."

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I just want some air," Aki replied, lying only slightly.

"Alright, then," he said, "when will you be back?"

Aki shrugged faintly. "I'm not sure; when I'm done." Then she turned and continued walking before he could ask more questions. He was good at reading her; she knew if he pushed, she'd break, and she suspected he wouldn't like the truth.

* * *

**Yusei was** leaning against the wall in the hallway, beside the lobby that the duelists had originally congregated in, with his arms crossed. He wasn't sure if Aki would show, or if she would look for him later, but he had nothing else to do, so he waited anyway.

But he wasn't waiting long before he heard the click-clack of someone walking down the hall, in his direction. He looked up as the sound neared the corner, and a smile curved his lips when Aki appeared. She met his gaze and returned the smile with a small one of her own.

"Hey," he said as she stopped before him.

"Hey," she replied.

"Walk with me?" Yusei asked, pushing off of the wall and tilting his head down the hall, towards the nearest exit.

A familiar teasing light flickered faintly in Aki's amber eyes as she said, "I suppose I can do that."

Yusei smirked and together they began walking in the indicated direction.

* * *

**They walked** mostly in silence, occasionally making small talk, until they were out of sight of the Kaiba Dome and the surrounding crowd. They found an outside table, which was technically the property of a small diner, and Yusei pulled one of the chairs out for Aki to sit, before claiming the other one for himself. Since the diner was closed, neither was worried about being interrupted.

"So," Aki began softly as she stared at her hands, which were resting uselessly on the table-top, "where do we start?"

Yusei casually rested one hand on the table as well, the other in his lap, and said, "I guess we've both got a lot to talk about." He hesitated before asking, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Aki drew a breath and nodded. "I suppose that is a good place to start, isn't it? Well, I was just sort of waiting around at home, and suddenly someone started pounding on the door. It freaked me out at first, and I didn't know what to do, and then the man at the door said he was Security…."

She paused, frowning and biting her lip briefly, before continuing to tell him about how Ushio had apprehended her; knocking her unconscious and sending one of his men in to grab her deck.

"When I woke up," she concluded, "I was already back in the city. There was no way I could get back."

Yusei was frowning when she was done. "It was Ushio who took you?"

Confusion settled on her face, and Aki asked, "You know him?"

"Unfortunately," Yusei admitted, "he's been hounding me for a while; and he's gotten worse since I got into the city. It doesn't really matter, I guess; just kind of wish I'd known, I might've worked harder to humiliate him."

Aki laughed softly. "Well, maybe next time, then." Deciding it was her turn to ask a question, she added, "How long did it take you to realize what had happened?"

"I suspected it as soon as I realized your deck was missing, but I -we- scoured the Satellite, just to be safe. After we couldn't find you, I figured that was the only other possibility," Yusei stated.

"I am sorry," Aki breathed, "I wish I could have at least left you a note."

"Don't be sorry," Yusei said easily, "you didn't do anything wrong."

Aki acknowledged the truth of his words silently, before offering him a nostalgic smile. "So, did you guys win that last sector?"

Yusei blinked, thrown off by her question for a second, before he grinned faintly. "Yeah, we did. It was harder than we'd anticipated, though; and we didn't actually duel their leader. He got hit in the head with the door as it flew open after Jack kicked it."

Aki's hand flew over her mouth as she tried not to laugh out loud at the image in her head. "And why was Jack kicking open doors into people's heads?"

The grin faded as Yusei replied, "I'd challenged the leader on a rooftop, and instead of agreeing to duel me, he jumped to the next roof and used the grapple to pull me off of mine. If not for Kiryu, I'd be six feet under right now." He cringed at the memory, and the bittersweet taste it brought to his mouth.

Horror washed over Aki. "Oh, wow, Yusei…I'm sorry. I'm glad you're alright."

"It was no big deal; he and Crow hauled me up. I was fine." Yusei looked away for a minute, remembering something, before he continued. "So what's happened to you since that day?"

* * *

**Aki obligingly** told him about her life over the past two years. She explained how she'd woken up in the headquarters of the Arcadia Movement and met Divine; how Security had been asked to bring her there instead of taking her to her family's home or leaving her to her own devices. She told him a bit about Arcadia itself, and why she'd taken to calling herself the Black Rose Witch.

Yusei listened intently, being sure not to interrupt her as she told him her story. He had several points he wanted to make, but he sensed that it might not be the right time for them. As well as their conversation was flowing, their overall interaction was still a bit awkward. So he decided to put off any potential arguments for later.

When Aki was done, she said, "So that's my new life in a nutshell."

"I'm glad you found a place where you feel like you fit in," Yusei said truthfully. "I was worried that you'd be all alone here, like you had been before."

"You worried about me?" Aki asked.

"Of course I did," Yusei said firmly. "I care about you, Aki. Just because you were taken away from me doesn't mean that's changed."

Aki's heart sped up at his choice of words. She smiled, a true smile, and said, "I'm happy to hear that. I was afraid maybe I was stupid for holding on to my feelings for you."

Yusei leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table, and reached out to take her right hand in his left. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and said, "Only if we both are."

Her amber eyes danced in the fading sunlight, and it was a long second before she asked, "So tell me about you now. What happened with Jack? And how're Crow and Kiryu?"

Yusei took a deep breath, released her hand, and leaned back. "Jack and I had a fight shortly after I finished my first D-Wheel, and not much later, he betrayed us all by tying Rally up and sending him out to sea. I saved Rally, but Jack made off with my ride and Stardust. So I built a second D-Wheel to get Stardust back and make him pay for what he did. And to come find you."

"I don't know if I'm more shocked by Jack betraying you like that, or by you so casually admitting to building two D-Wheel's from _**scratch**_," Aki stated quietly. "Then again, you've always been good with technology. And how could he do that?"

Yusei shrugged. "I haven't really gotten to talk to him about it yet, so I don't know what he was thinking."

Aki nodded in understanding. "Well, I'm sorry about Jack." She paused and asked, "What about the others?"

Yusei frowned darkly as he remembered the story he was about to tell.

* * *

**Aki's hand** was covering her mouth in shock when Yusei finished his story. She couldn't believe what he'd told her; that Kiryu had murdered a member of Security, and then that Kiryu had died. It was tragic and horrifying. She remembered how close Yusei had been to Kiryu; they'd been like brothers. She couldn't imagine the pain he'd gone through; pain he'd had to endure all by himself.

"Yusei," she breathed, pushing her chair back and circling the table to stand beside him. He watched her silently, clearly not sure what she was doing. She knew she must look sad; she'd considered Kiryu a friend, after all; but she wasn't worried about herself. So she threw her arms around his shoulders and held tight.

"Aki," Yusei whispered, pulling her sideways onto his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head into her neck. He knew she was trying not to cry, so he held her tightly and said nothing for several minutes.

* * *

**"So what** do we do now?" Aki asked as they walked slowly, hand in hand, back towards the Kaiba Dome. The sun had set, and they were sure the crowd had dispersed by then. "I mean, do you get to stay in the city after the Fortune Cup?"

"I honestly don't know," Yusei said, "but Goodwin said I was free to stay here; not that I put a whole lot of stock in his word."

"If you could, though…would you want to?"

Yusei lifted their entwined hands and pressed his lips lightly to her knuckles before replying, "I worked for two years to get the chance to come here, and half of that purpose was to find you. Believe me when I say that the only reasons I would walk away from you now would be if I was being dragged, or if you asked me to."

Aki smiled and walked into his side teasingly, saying, "Contrary to public belief, I'm not crazy enough to even consider that."

Yusei chuckled quietly. "Good to know."

Aki frowned as the Arcadia Movement's buses came into view, and she reflexively slowed her pace. Yusei slowed with her, raising a silent eyebrow.

"But where does all of this leave _**us**_?" Aki asked softly. "Because, I would really like to be able to be us again…somehow."

"I'd like that, too," Yusei agreed.

Aki turned to look up at him, coming to a stop, and smiled softly. "Then, can we?"

Yusei nodded, a soft smile forming on his face.

Aki chewed her lip thoughtfully and said, "I'll have to talk to Divine after the tournament, but, I'd be willing to leave Arcadia. I'm not sure the Movement would be really conducive to dating, you know?"

"You don't have to leave them if you don't want to, Aki. I know they're important to you."

Aki shook her head, releasing his hand to reach up and wind her arms loosely around his neck. "Divine took me in, and provided me a home, when I had none. And I'll always be grateful to him for that, but I've never been as happy there as I was with you. It's no choice at all, really."

"If you're sure," Yusei said. Then he planted his hands on her hips and leaned down to steal a quick kiss.

"I should go," Aki whispered when he pulled back. "But I'll see you tomorrow, won't I?"

"Definitely," Yusei promised. "Do you want me to walk you up to the door?"

Aki shook her head. "That might not be a good idea; they don't really like strangers. I haven't figured out yet how to tell Divine about any of this."

Yusei nodded in understanding. "Alright; good night, then, and sleep well."

Aki leaned up quickly and pecked him again on the lips, before whispering, "Good night, Yusei."

* * *

**Knocking at** her door made Aki look up as she pulled the brush through her hair for the final time that night. She knew it must be Divine; he was the only one who ever came to speak with her while she was in her room.

"Come in," she called as she set the brush down and began properly securing her hair.

The door slid open and Divine stepped into the room. He stepped up behind her casually, dropping his hands on her shoulders lightly. "You were gone for a long time," he began. "Is everything ok?"

"Everything's fine," Aki assured him.

"Do you mind if we talk for a minute?"

Aki refused to let her nerves show on her face; she knew he was becoming suspicious of her behavior. And she'd known he would be, but she wasn't sure now was the time to tell him the truth.

_But why shouldn't I? He's always been there to help me, and he's always understood me. I don't know why he'd get upset over this._

"Sure," she agreed, meeting his gaze through the mirror.

"Can you tell me what's going on with you?" Divine asked bluntly, keeping his tone smooth and calm. He stepped back to give her room to stand and turn to face him.

"I'm sorry for keeping this from you," Aki began sincerely, "but I wasn't sure how to tell you…."

Divine stepped up to her and gently ran his knuckles along the side of her face. It was a gesture he'd started over a year ago, that he used whenever she seemed bothered by something. He thought it calmed her; reassured her that he was on her side.

Aki had never much cared for the gesture itself, though she'd always appreciated the meaning behind it. Whenever he touched her so tenderly, it felt wrong to her; but she'd always figured that it was a stupid emotional reaction. Now, however, it felt worse.

Aki turned and pulled away, moving to stand again beside her desk chair.

"Aki?" Divine asked, sounding worried by her unusual actions.

"Yusei Fudo," she started plainly.

Divine nodded, easily recognizing the name. "Did you know him?" His question obviously referred to her life in the Satellite, a life he was well aware of, though she hadn't divulged many details.

She nodded. "He was my boyfriend." She knew it would be all she had to say; Divine knew she'd had a boyfriend, and that she'd lived with him.

Divine's eyes widened marginally at this revelation. He clearly hadn't been expecting that. "So I take it you didn't really go for a walk earlier?"

"No," Aki admitted, "I met up with Yusei and we talked. A lot has changed for both of us, but…"

"You still love him," Divine finished knowingly.

Aki nodded silently.

"Does he still care for you?"

"He does," Aki said. "We want to be together, but, I'm not sure that's possible if I stay with the Movement."

"So you want to leave?" Divine asked, keeping his tone impartial.

Aki met his gaze, hoping he could see the sincerity in her eyes, "I'm sorry, Divine. I'm truly grateful for everything you've done, but, after the tournament, I'd like to leave."

"This isn't a prison, Aki; you're free to go anytime you like. There will always be a place for you here," Divine promised.

"I'll come back to headquarters with you after the tournament ends, and probably stay for a couple of days, to make sure I've completed everything I was doing and to gather my things. If that's alright," Aki said.

"Of course," Divine assured her. "I'll leave you alone now, I'm sure you're tired. Rest well, Aki."

"Thank you, Divine," Aki said as he stepped into the hall. "Good night."

* * *

**Yusei stared** at the clear night sky. He hadn't really been able to enjoy the clear, unobstructed view since he'd been there. And though it had been a long night, he found he wanted to simply enjoy the clean air.

Ruka had told him that he'd been chosen to duel Bommer in the morning, and Aki would be dueling the pig-headed man in the gray suit. And then Rua had gone missing, only to end up being returned by Bommer; after that, Yusei had learned the larger man's reason for joining the tournament.

_Bommer, I understand why you're dueling, but I just can't let you win. I don't care how advanced your D-Wheel is; at the end of the day, only one of us can win. And it has to be me._

His thoughts shifted, then, to the earlier events of his night. _Can it really be this easy?_ _No,_ he answered himself as he remembered the strange marks on their arms. He knew instinctively that something big was going on, and that the marks were the key to it all; he just wished he knew what it was.

* * *

**"So, you're** not mad at me?" Rua asked the following morning, shuffling his feet awkwardly as Yusei began wiping down his D-Wheel.

Yusei turned and smiled kindly at the small boy. "I'm not mad," Yusei promised. "There was no harm done, and I'm sure you've learned your lesson, right?"

Rua nodded rapidly. "Yes, I promise!"

"Good," Yusei said, "then why don't you go find your seat, so you can watch the duel?"

Rua beamed and nodded again. "Ok, I will! Good luck, Yusei!" And then he turned and ran from the room.

Yusei chuckled softly to himself and returned his attention to his D-Wheel, picking up the rag again and continuing to wipe it down. He'd already put it through all his tests to make sure it was working perfectly, and now all he had to do was finish cleaning it.

When he heard the door slide open again, he thought perhaps Himura had come to give him some pointers, but before he could say anything, the newcomer beat him to it.

"Gotta make it nice and shiny just to get dirty again, right?" Aki teased lightly.

Yusei stopped mid-wipe and turned, surprised to see her already. He smiled and dropped the rag on the seat. "That's the plan," he replied. "What brings you by?"

Aki smiled and stepped up to him. "I wanted to wish you good luck today; aren't I allowed?"

"I suppose so," Yusei replied, meeting her half-way and wrapping his arms around her. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she replied softly before she pressed her lips to his.

He returned the kiss equally, holding her close for a long moment. But soon enough he pulled back and smirked down at her. "Well, there's no way I can lose now," he teased.

"Exactly," Aki replied with a laugh. Giving him another quick peck, she added, "Good luck out there."

Yusei smiled. "Thanks," he said.

"I'll leave you alone now to prepare," Aki said with a small smile, "but I'll be rooting for you."

"Good to know," Yusei laughed, giving her a smile before she stepped out the door.

* * *

**Aki was** walking down the hall, headed towards the exit of the building so that she could get to her room to watch Yusei's duel, when she heard someone approaching from around the corner. She hesitated for barely a heartbeat, steeling herself for an awkward, possibly even upsetting, encounter, and continued walking normally.

But she wasn't prepared to see Jack Atlas round the corner, walking with an air of confidence that proclaimed he owned the entire building; and in a way, she supposed, he did.

They both came to a stop as they eyed each other. Once upon a time, they had been almost friends, and having reunited with Yusei, Aki was inclined to keep her temper in check. Except for the minor detail of what Jack had done to him.

"Well, if it isn't the Senator's runaway daughter," Jack said haughtily.

Her glare slipped easily into place. "Better a runaway than a traitor, if you ask me," she spat.

His arrogant stare switched immediately to an angry glare of his own and he curled his fists at his sides. "I didn't; and at least I didn't break anybody's heart when I left."

"At least I didn't leave by _**choice**_," Aki countered vehemently. "You stole the card I gave Yusei for his birthday, and you could have _**killed**_ Rally. How the hell can you justify that?"

Jack ground his teeth before hissing, "I don't have to justify myself to you, _**witch**_. Now get out of my way." And then he moved to push past her, using his left arm to brush her aside.

Aki smacked at his arm with her right hand, snapping, "Don't touch me!"

He spun around then, stepping into her personal space, and pointing the index finger of his right hand practically between her eyes. "Don't presume to command me; I'm the number-one ranked duelist in the world, and if I want you out of my way, I'll move you out of my way! This is _**my**_ hallway!"

"Get your finger out of my face, _**your majesty**_," Aki growled, reaching up and knocking his hand away. As soon as their hands touched, the marks on their arms flared up and began to burn intensely.

Both duelists stepped back in shock, clutching at their right arms reflexively. Their wide eyes met, and Aki breathed, "Yusei was right…you do have a mark."

"What?" Jack asked incredulously.

But Aki didn't reply, instead she spun around on her heel and ran off towards the nearest exit. She didn't slow down as the burn finally faded; she didn't slow down until she was at her bus.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ I know, I know, semi-random Jack and Aki scene, but I thought it would make sense that they'd run into each other sometime during the tournament, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know it was a bit slower, but there were some things that just had to happen, y'know? Anyway, please let me know what you thought, and then go read chapter 10!!


	10. Fortune's Finale

_**A/N:**_ Welcome to chapter ten!! I promise there will be more action here!! Of course, I suppose you could figure that out on your own anyway, right? LOL Now, I would like to take this moment to say, I am _**very**_ sorry to those who were hoping for it, but I won't be doing a play-by-play of Yusei & Aki's duel. Of course it will happen, and I'll cover certain scenes, but I don't feel a play-by-play is necessary. I hope this isn't too disappointing. That said, please enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill: I own nothing.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 10: Fortune's Finale**

**Having won** his semi-final duel, Yusei met up with Himura in his designated 'workshop' to repair his D-Wheel. The large, wall-mounted television was on, as the second semi-final duel was about to begin. It was Aki's duel.

With everything that had happened over the past couple of days, Yusei had nearly forgotten that Himura still didn't know about his relationship, or history, with Aki. So when the duel first began, as Himura watched, he asked a question that Yusei wasn't expecting.

"Do you think she really is a witch?"

Yusei paused in his work and looked over at the screen; the duel hadn't been going for long, and already the field was covered in vines and roses. With a frown, Yusei replied, "No, I don't. I think she's misunderstood."

"Misunderstood?" Himura repeated. "How can you misunderstand that power?"

"Just because she has power doesn't mean she's a witch," Yusei explained, returning his attention to his D-Wheel. "She's a good person, but she's persecuted by people who've mistreated her because they're afraid of what they don't understand. So she's reacted the only way she knew how."

Himura turned away from the screen, to look at Yusei as he worked. "You sure sound like you know what you're talking about, Yusei. But just the other day, you were the one asking all the questions about her, so where is this all coming from?"

Yusei moved to sit on the seat and check the engine as he spoke, "I didn't know anything about the Black Rose Witch," he said honestly, "but since then I've learned I actually know her better than anyone else here."

Himura raised a silent eyebrow.

Finally, Yusei looked up, past his friend to the screen, watching Aki's duel as he explained their somewhat complicated situation. As he spoke, Himura turned back to the duel also, and stared at the screen.

"Huh," Himura said.

* * *

**Aki had** won her duel, thankful to finally shut her opponent up. She supposed she might have lost her temper during the duel, but he'd left her no alternative, and she wasn't going to let him win.

_Of course,_ she thought as she walked, _this means I'm dueling Yusei next round._ She swallowed at the thought. She knew what that would mean. _I don't want to hurt him. I can't hurt him; but I know I will. I don't have any control._

She reached the corner and looked up as she heard footsteps coming her way. By the time she was looking up, her amber eyes landed on Yusei's blue ones. They were alone in the hallway, at least for the moment.

"Hey," Aki said. "I guess we're dueling each other today."

"I guess we are," Yusei agreed, inclining his head. "Are you ok with that?"

Aki sighed, subconsciously clenching her right arm. "It's just that, I have no control over my power; I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

"Don't worry about me," Yusei said easily, "I can handle it. I don't want you to feel like you need to hold back today."

Aki looked away silently, knowing she couldn't really hold back, but hating the thought of causing him pain, when he'd been nothing but good to her.

Yusei took her silence as an invitation to speak, and said, "I noticed you didn't use your mask earlier. I'm glad to see that."

"I might use it today," Aki whispered, knowing he wouldn't like the idea.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, it's so hard to hear what they say," she paused, hesitantly meeting his gaze, and added, "and I'm not sure I can look you in the eye and knowingly cause you pain. It's selfish, I know, but it'll be easier if you can't see my reaction."

"Aki, you don't need the mask," Yusei insisted.

Before she could argue her point further, the twins called out to him as they ran up, interrupting their conversation. Yusei knew the battle was lost when Goodwin's lackey showed up almost immediately afterwards, and all too soon, she was escorted away by Divine and two other members of Arcadia.

* * *

**The water** was soothing to Aki's nerves, and she let her head fall back and her eyes drift shut to help her relax. _This duel could well be harder on my nerves, and my heart, than my body,_ she thought as she tried to push the tension away.

She was finally starting to feel at ease when the small holo-screen that was installed on the clear cover of the bath clicked on, and Divine's familiar voice broke through her reverie.

"Sorry to bother you, Aki," he said. "I wanted to check in with you; how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Aki said, "why wouldn't I be?"

"I know you're anxious about your upcoming duel," Divine reminded her. Aki was silent, looking away from the screen as she acknowledged the truth of his words. He continued after a beat. "However, that's not the only reason I'm disturbing your rest," he admitted.

Curiosity converged on Aki's face. "Oh?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Goodwin, and his group of followers, Yliaster," Divine began carefully. "I mentioned them to you before, I know; and I'm aware that you've decided to leave the Movement, but I was hoping I could ask for your help against Yliaster before you go."

Aki kept her face indifferent at his request. "What do you need?"

"We don't yet know all of the members of Yliaster," Divine explained, "and I was hoping you could help us expose them. I suspect you'll have a better chance at this than anyone else would."

She hesitated, pausing to be sure she chose her words carefully. At length, she replied, "I owe you more than I can repay, so I'll do what I can, but I don't want to stay more than a week or two."

"Of course," Divine assured her, "I would never ask you to do something you don't want to. Thank you, Aki; it'll be a great help. I'll leave you now to rest." The screen blinked out of existence almost before he'd finished speaking.

Aki lifted her right arm, then, and wrapped her left hand around the mark tightly. _Could this Yliaster thing have anything to do with these marks?_

* * *

**Yusei sat** on the couch in the lobby room where the Fortune Cup duelists had gathered during Rua and Bommer's duel, and looked up at the screen before him. Various clips of his opponent, his girlfriend, were playing out before him. They were clips gathered from her previous duels in the tournament.

She was terrified of hurting him during their duel, and while he appreciated her worries, he understood that it would happen so long as she had no control. And he was strongly starting to suspect that her friends in the Arcadia Movement weren't putting as much effort into helping her as she thought they were. _They certainly seemed awfully controlling this afternoon. What are they hiding from her?_

In the end, though, that wasn't his primary concern. He needed to make her see that she wasn't the monster she thought she was. _And to do that, I have to win this duel._ With a twinge of resignation, he pulled Stardust Dragon out from the card-holder at his hip. He had yet to put Stardust back into his deck, originally having intended on saving it for his duel with Jack.

_But I might need to use Stardust in order to really get through to her,_ he realized as he placed the card on the top of his deck.

* * *

**"I'm ready**," Aki declared as she stepped into Divine's office.

"Very well," Divine stated, walking up to her with the ornament she usually wore in her hair in his hand. "This should help keep your powers in check," he reminded her as he tucked it into place.

Behind him, resting on the desk, Aki spied her mask. _It'll upset him, I'm sure,_ she thought, _but I need it. What I'll have to do…I can't face it._

"Do you want your mask?" Divine asked, noticing her stare.

Hesitantly, Aki inclined her head. "Yes," she said guiltily, "I think I do."

* * *

**The final** duel was on, and the crowd was both excited and wary, having learned what Aki was capable of. Yusei's friends were in the stands, and Divine was watching from the hall.

But Yusei paid no attention to any of it, as he tried to get through to her. Of course, first he had to adjust to her unique style of dueling.

Several rounds in, after a particularly brutal attack that had Yusei literally slamming into the stadium floor, Aki finally caved to the pressure and pulled out her mask.

"You don't need that!" Yusei called in frustration.

"Yes, I do," Aki argued quietly before slipping it easily into place.

The appearance of her mask renewed Yusei's desire to prove to her just how unnecessary it was, so he ground his teeth and pushed ahead.

The rest of the duel was intense, as their dragons clashed time and again, and the stadium itself took a beating that had the crowd scattering for safety.

In the end, though, Yusei managed to pull off a combo that dropped her Life Points to zero and shattered her mask on the ground in several pieces. But as much as he wanted to relish the image of it scattered beyond repair, he was transfixed by Aki's face.

Tears were pouring down her cheeks, and she had one of the saddest looks he'd ever seen on her.

"Yusei…I'm so sorry," she whispered, staring into his eyes.

"Aki," he breathed even as Divine stepped up beside her. Yusei watched in aggravated silence as Divine draped his jacket over her shoulders and helped her to her feet, as she clutched her glowing right arm to her chest. She silently met his gaze one last time before Divine escorted her away.

When she was out of sight, Yusei turned his attention up towards Goodwin's tower. It was past time for some answers. Before he could take a step, though, the glow on his arm faded away again, and he curiously slid back his jacket sleeve. What he saw, however, was not what he expected; his mark, though no longer glowing, had not gone away, as it usually did.

_I need to figure out what these marks mean,_ Yusei decided.

* * *

**"Are you** alright?" Divine asked as he escorted Aki down the hall, away from the stadium.

Her voice was soft, strained with her sadness, as she replied, "No."

Divine took a deep breath and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Don't be angry with yourself, Aki; you've done nothing wrong."

Aki said nothing, but after a moment, she shrugged out from under his arm, and his coat, and whispered, "I need to be alone for a little while." Without waiting for a reply, she fast-walked away from him, toward the nearest exit.

* * *

**Aki was **sitting, curled up on her bed, when Divine knocked lightly on her door. The duel between Jack and Yusei had just come to a close; she had barely had time to absorb that Yusei was suddenly the new Duel King, let alone whatever it was she'd seen during their duel. And all the while, she kept thinking that the duel would've been easier on Yusei if she hadn't thrown him around the way she had.

The knowledge that he hadn't looked angry, or even frightened, after their duel hadn't done as much as she'd hoped to alleviate her feelings of guilt.

"Come in," she called before she lost herself again to those thoughts.

The door slid open and Divine stepped into the room, quietly moving to sit on the edge of her bed, keeping a comfortable distance between them. "How are you doing?"

Aki looked away, her eyes landing on the television again as it showed a recap of the victories that Yusei had achieved. "I feel horrible," she said softly, "and I don't know what to do."

Divine looked thoughtful for a long second before he finally spoke again. "Aki, please don't be angry at me, but…if you're so worried that he'll turn on you for something so clearly beyond your control, then perhaps he isn't what you really need."

She met his gaze then, and replied, "He's never done anything to make me worry he'd be angry with me, or afraid of me; it's just _**me**_. I never wanted to hurt him; he was the first person who ever looked at me like I was worth something."

"I understand that," Divine assured her smoothly. "And I'm not trying to lessen that for you; but you need to remember, Aki, that before today he'd never really gotten a true _**taste**_ for your talent. I doubt I need to remind you that personal experience can often change a man's opinion."

Aki's eyes went wide and she dropped her gaze; she visibly paled at the idea he'd proposed to her. She clearly hadn't made that conclusion herself.

Divine was silent for several beats, letting the possibility settle in. At length, he rose and moved to drop a gloved hand on her shoulder in a caring gesture. Softly, he said, "I'm sorry, Aki; it wasn't my intent to upset you. I simply wanted to make sure you were adequately prepared."

When he was done speaking, he turned to leave her alone to her thoughts. With his back to her, he allowed the faintest of smirks to curve his lips upward.

He was nearly at her door when he heard her moving on the bed, and her voice broke the silence.

"I need to see him," she said. He wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or to herself, but he half-turned anyway.

She was already on her feet and moving towards him, a familiar, determined light in her amber eyes. But Divine's next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"I'm not sure that's possible," he said plainly, indicating the screen. A reporter was speaking, but her words didn't reach Aki's ears, because Divine spoke over her. "It looks like he's disappeared; most likely to avoid the reporters of course." Something about his tone indicated that he suspected that wasn't Yusei's only excuse for disappearing.

Aki felt her heart sink, but she tried to keep the expression from showing on her face. Turning back to the door, she said, "I have to try to find him."

"Of course; would you like us to look for him?" Divine offered.

"No," Aki insisted, "I'll find him if he's still around." And then she marched out of the room, quickly disappearing down the hall.

* * *

**"We can** hide out here for a while," Himura stated confidently as they entered Saiga's hideout. The twins and Yanagi headed straight for the couch to rest after the long walk, and Yusei moved to the wall of windows that overlooked the city.

_I'm sorry, Aki,_ he thought as his mind wandered to the young woman he'd dueled earlier that afternoon. _Please don't misunderstand; I'd have found you if I knew where to look, but there wasn't time. I have to wrap my head around things; but I'll find you as soon as things calm down. I swear it._

"Hey, Yusei," Himura called, interrupting his friend's thoughts.

"Hmm?" Yusei responded, not turning but focusing his attention on him regardless.

"Yanagi's gonna show us the symbol!" Rua exclaimed eagerly. "Don't you wanna see it?"

Silently, Yusei turned away from the window and joined the gathered group around Saiga's desk, just as Yanagi began drawing the symbol of the Crimson Dragon on a large piece of paper.

* * *

_**Yusei, where **__are you?_ Aki wondered silently as she stared out at the night sky from her room in the Arcadia Movement's headquarters. Though it was a crystal-clear night, and the stars and moon were twinkling brightly, all she could see was the face of the man she loved. The man she hadn't been able to speak to since their duel earlier that day.

She had searched the Kaiba Dome for him to no avail; he had slipped out without anyone's notice, successfully avoiding the barrage of ambitious reporters; successfully avoiding her.

_Could he really be avoiding me?_ She couldn't stop herself from wondering the obvious, as Divine's words from earlier that evening flooded her mind again.

"_You can't let your emotions rule you, Aki. Look at it objectionably; isn't it an awfully convenient excuse to simply be dodging the reporters? Surely he could have found a way to talk to you first; at least to promise to return. He certainly appears intelligent enough for that."_

Aki cringed, hating the echo of truth in his words. Yusei was one of the smartest people she'd ever known; and equally as determined. If he'd really wanted to find her; to talk to her; she was sure he'd have found a way.

_Which could only mean that I finally convinced him how much he doesn't need me,_ she thought sadly, feeling another chunk of her shattered heart fall away. _Just when he had finally convinced me that I could trust him; that he would never abandon me._

She felt the warmth of her first new tear as it slid silently down her cheek. Now she knew she'd lost him completely; it was the only real explanation, wasn't it?

* * *

**Less than** twenty-four hours later Yusei watched the Satellite growing larger as the helicopter he rode in rapidly approached it. It had been a long, restless night, followed by an unusual afternoon. His conversation with Goodwin had left him with more questions than answers, though it had answered one thing; sort of.

He clutched his right arm subconsciously as he thought over that conversation on the bridge. He'd certainly never expected to have a destiny like the one Goodwin described.

The pilot was suddenly signaling him to get ready; he was going to be dropped into the Satellite, though the small aircraft would not be stopping. Yusei nodded and slipped on his helmet, before firing up his D-Wheel and waiting for the descent. He wasn't waiting long.

As the large door opened, and Yusei felt himself roll off of the platform, his mind wandered back to his conversation with Aki. _I promised her I'd stay._ He gritted his teeth, as much to brace for the impact as to fight down the sudden surge of emotions. _I couldn't stay; but I will return. As soon as this is taken care of; Aki, I'll come for you. Just please, stay safe until then._

He'd barely registered that he'd stopped falling; stopped moving entirely, as a matter of fact, when an unexpected voice broke through to him. He looked up in shock, not having expected an audience at all, let alone the one he received.

"Crow?"

* * *

**"If there's** nothing else for me to do, I'd like to go out for a bit; to get some fresh air," Aki requested evenly, as she stood in front of Divine's large mahogany desk.

Divine himself was sitting in his leather chair, casually flipping through the report she'd just placed on his desk. He looked up at her words, and concern settled in his dark eyes.

"Are you sure there's nothing you'd like to talk about?"

"I'm sure," she said.

With a slight nod, he replied, "Alright, then. I have no assignments for you, Aki; feel free to get out for a bit."

Aki inclined her head and turned, walking away. She paused as she reached the closed office door and said, "Oh, and, in case you were curious, I won't be leaving the Movement. As it turns out, I have nowhere else to go." Her voice was impassive and cold as she spoke, as if she were simply relating an unimportant event that wasn't worth her time.

"Very well," Divine replied as she stepped out of the office. As soon as the door was shut behind her, he dropped his eyes back to the report and smiled. Things were working out far better than he'd hoped.

* * *

**"So you** came back here to find your friends, then?" Crow asked when Yusei had finished his tale. They were sitting together on an outcropping of an old road which overlooked a section of downtown.

Yusei nodded faintly. "Yeah, and to find those Dark Signers I mentioned."

Crow whistled and shook his head. "This is what happens when I leave you alone for a couple o' years, huh?"

A faint smirk quirked the corner of Yusei's mouth and he replied, "Yeah, 'cause you could've stopped it."

Crow scoffed. "Of course I could have; I'm a persuasive guy." Pausing, he asked nonchalantly, "So, out of curiosity, who was the chump you had to beat to get to Jack?"

Yusei sighed inwardly; he hadn't wanted to talk about Aki just yet. But he couldn't very well let Crow go on calling her a chump, either.

"She wasn't a chump," he started seriously.

This got his friend's attention, as Crow looked over at him with raised eyebrows. "She, huh? Was she hot?"

Yusei choked out a half-laugh and grinned slightly again. "Very; and I'd have to hurt you if you touched her."

"Wait," Crow said, sounding slightly perplexed, "what happened to Aki? I thought you were waiting for her or something?"

"I was," Yusei replied, "and now I have to hope she'll wait for me to find her again, so that I can explain why I didn't get to talk to her before I left."

Crow was silent as Yusei's meaning sunk in. Finally, he said, "Let me get this straight; you had to _**duel**_ Aki, and beat her, to get to Jack?" Yusei nodded silently and Crow heaved a dramatic sigh. "Ok. Goodwin's an asshole."

"Tell me about it," Yusei agreed.

Pushing himself to his feet, Crow said, "Well, c'mon, let's go find the guys, bulldoze those Dark Signers, and get you back to the city so you can finally get your girl back."

"Sounds good to me," Yusei declared as he stood as well. Together the former members of Team Satisfaction turned towards their D-Wheels, headed out to find Yusei's friends.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Wow, I feel like I did a lot in this chapter; but really I think that's 'cause I skipped a lot again. And yes, I know, I really only barely touched Yusei and Aki's duel; I'm not comfortable writing detailed duel-scenes, and a lot of the dialogue would've been altered and such for the purposes of my story, so instead of getting all 'hands-on' with it, I just hit the good points. Hopefully that makes sense. Anyway, please review and tell me what you're thinking so far! And stick around for chapter 11, it'll be up soon!!


	11. Duels of Misfortune

_**A/N:**_ Hello! Chapter eleven is here and ready to be enjoyed!! Now, again, I'll be skimming over several significant things (meaning I won't ignore them completely, but they won't get a whole lot of page-time). And I apologize to anyone who disliked my Yusei/Aki split from last chapter, but I felt it was sorta necessary to get the right drama for events that are very quickly approaching (really, you can smell it, can't you?). Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Please enjoy this chapter!!

**Disclaimer:** Though it breaks my heart to admit, Yusei and everyone else associated with YGO 5Ds belong to someone who is not me.

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 11: Duels of Misfortune**

**A gentle** gloved hand descended unexpectedly on Aki's shoulder, startling the young woman out of her reverie. She looked up, into Divine's sympathetic eyes.

"You can't keep dwelling on it," Divine instructed softly. "It'll just eat you up inside."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Aki asked searchingly, as a thin film of liquid covered her amber eyes. "I gave my heart to him, and I'd always held onto the hope that he would be the one to understand."

"I understand the disappointment; the pain," Divine said, "but he's not worth your suffering. You can't let him destroy you; you're stronger than that."

"Am I?" Aki questioned, looking away.

Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, Divine leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Yes, you are. You just need to believe in yourself; like I do." Then he turned and walked quietly away, letting her absorb his words.

Aki watched him leave, waiting until he was gone before standing and moving to the balcony. It was nearly sunset.

_Yusei,_ she thought, wishing her thoughts could really reach him; wherever he was. _I just wish I could talk to you one last time; it would help so much to know what happened. Why you couldn't even find me to say goodbye._

She tried desperately to drown the spark of hope that ignited in her heart, as it always did, when she thought of what had happened. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from thinking it._ Unless maybe it wasn't goodbye…but then you'd better have a good explanation for making me worry like this._

As the sun began to sink beyond the horizon line, Aki turned and headed back inside. It would be time for dinner shortly, and then she would take a long, hot bath. That would relax her better than just standing on the balcony.

* * *

**Night had** fallen, and Aki was reaching for her book, having decided to read in bed for a short while, when her arm started burning. The mark was glowing again, reminding her instantly of the last time it had done so.

As soon as his name slipped into her thoughts, the pain intensified, and Aki realized with a start that he was at least part of the reason that her mark was acting up. On reflex, she pulled on her white robe and stepped on to her private balcony, to stare up at the sky.

_Yusei,_ she whispered silently, _what's happening?_ She knew in her gut that something was wrong; something bad was happening.

_Please, be alright,_ she prayed silently. No matter her anger, or her sadness, she could never wish him ill. He would always be too important to her.

* * *

**Yusei was** in disbelief. He was trapped in a Riding Duel with his former best friend; Kiryu. The man who'd led Team Satisfaction; and the man he'd seen fall, dead, with his own two eyes. Only now his eyes were telling him that he _**wasn't**_ dead. Kiryu himself was saying he was; or that he had been, at least. But, either way, Kiryu was furious with him.

And now he was trying to kill him; trying to destroy the entire Satellite.

_How did it come to this?_ Yusei wondered as Kiryu took his turn. It was all too surreal; his mind felt like it was on overload. And to top it off, Jack was hovering overhead in a helicopter; he had a birds-eye view of the duel.

_We're all here,_ Yusei realized belatedly, remembering Crow watching from the sidelines on a small hilltop. _Now if only we were all on the same side again; but I don't think that's possible._

"It's your move, Yusei! Let's see if you can survive this round!" Kiryu called, finishing his statement with another bout of psychotic laughter.

* * *

**A fear** unlike any Yusei had ever felt gripped him tight as Kiryu's Earthbound God reached for him. He watched the enormous hand descend upon him as if in slow motion. Stardust Dragon attempted to intervene, to no avail; even Yusei's trap card did absolutely nothing. The hand was nearly on top of him now.

Simultaneously, Yusei's D-Wheel began to lurch; subtly at first, but it wobbled more violently as he continued to push forward. And then, just as the Earthbound God's palm would have crushed him flat, Yusei lost control of his D-Wheel.

He watched as the wheels skidded sideways over the earth, and the ground rose up rapidly to greet him. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as Kiryu's attack nearly hit home. And then his entire body erupted in burning pain. It was different than the steady, faint, burn of his mark; this burn was explosive and felt as though it was tearing its way through his body, slow and agonizing; inch by inch.

He rolled several times, and each revolution caused the searing pain to increase. The pain was strongest in his abdomen, though it hurt too much for him to even open his eyes and find out why. He had a vague sensation of Kiryu saying something to him, but the words were lost, and then the familiar pain of his mark was gone, and some part of his mind registered that Kiryu must have left.

He heard shouting around him, and felt someone roll him onto his back. Several agonizing seconds later, he was shifted again, onto the back of Crow's D-Wheel, and then he could feel the cool sensation of the wind whipping around him as they sped off. He tried to focus on the wind as they rode, but the pain was too strong. Everything faded to black before he even knew where Crow was taking him.

* * *

**Something tore** at Aki's chest, making her draw a sharp breath and clutch tighter to the railing. "What…?" she gasped, staggering under the sudden and intense pain.

Then the glow of her mark faded away, and with it went the new pain in her chest. She took a deep, steady breath, and looked down at her arm as if it would give up all of its secrets to her.

"What happened?" she whispered into the night.

Looking back up at the sky, an image of Yusei passed across her mind's eye, and his name slipped out past her lips, as she hoped that the unexpected pain didn't mean something was wrong with him.

* * *

**Days went** by, and Yusei slowly began his recovery. He didn't move around much for the first several days, but as soon as Martha allowed it, he was up and preparing his D-Wheel for the necessary repairs. He couldn't afford to sit around on his hands with the Dark Signers wreaking havoc in the Satellite.

And it was one of those nights, when Yusei was getting ready to turn in for the night, when his sign lit up again; bringing with it a warning pain. Quickly, he headed outside, reflexively looking up at the sky to see if he could see the large marker that might indicate where the duel was. But, surprisingly, it looked small and distant.

_Could it be in the city?_ Yusei wondered, realizing that the other three known Signers were in the city, and so really, that was the only place it could be.

_But who is it? Who's dueling?_ Images of Jack, Ruka, and Aki danced across his mind. His mark flickered when he thought of Jack, and tingled when he thought of Ruka; but it flared brighter than before when he focused on Aki.

_Aki,_ he realized. His stomach dropped as he imagined her dueling one of the Dark Signers. A part of him hoped it wasn't Kiryu; but he was also afraid that the others might be even more dangerous.

"Yusei?" Saiga called to him.

Yusei half-turned and glanced over at Saiga before turning his attention back to the sky. He wished more than anything that he could be there beside her.

"Hey, Yusei," Saiga continued, stepping out from the doorway and approaching his friend. "You ok?"

"She's dueling a Dark Signer," Yusei whispered. Somehow, saying it aloud made it all the more real, and Yusei had to swallow to push away the fear that gripped him.

"Who?" Saiga asked. "Your girlfriend?" Yusei's silence was all the answer he needed.

* * *

**Martha joined** them outside several minutes later, curious about their behavior. "What are you two doing out so late?"

Saiga turned to acknowledge the older woman grimly. "Yusei's girlfriend is dueling one of those Dark Signers," he explained.

"Girlfriend?" Martha repeated, turning her attention to Yusei. He had dropped his gaze to his arm and was frowning, but didn't look as though he intended to elaborate, so she pushed. "I didn't even know you had a girlfriend; why would she be dueling one of those Dark Signer people?"

"Because she has a mark, like mine," Yusei said after a moment.

When he fell silent again, Martha walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Relax, Yusei; I'm sure she'll be fine. And when this craziness is all over, you'd better introduce me to this girl of yours."

Yusei didn't react for a long moment, but, finally, he inclined his head. "You're right; she knows what she's doing." He paused, turning his head to look over at her, and added, "And you've already met her."

Martha blinked. "I have…? But, the only girlfriend I've ever seen you with was…" When Yusei nodded, her eyes went wide. "Oh, no; Aki?"

"Yeah," Yusei confirmed, turning his eyes back to the haze-covered night sky, and the distant glow of a dark sign. "Aki."

* * *

**Aki was** beginning to feel as if she were in over her head, as she stared across the hall at her opponent. Misty's expression was cold and angry; empty of anything beyond her anger. But Aki couldn't understand that anger, because she had no idea what the woman was talking about.

Ruka, her twin brother Rua, and two men she'd never met were watching from the other side of the railing. Ruka's arm was glowing brightly.

But Aki paid them no attention as she tried to focus on her opponent. She knew the duel she was in was more important than it had originally seemed; and Misty had somehow managed to summon a monster so large that it didn't even fit inside the building. That really had her on edge.

And that was when Misty looked up, beyond Aki, and frowned faintly. "Well, I suppose this means our duel's going to have to wait," she mumbled softly.

Just then the building shook violently and Aki heard an echoing crash from above. It was almost simultaneously followed by Divine's voice, crying out in pain. She looked up, where Misty was looking, in time to see Divine come flying over the banister from an upper floor.

"No!" Aki screamed, leaning half over the railing as if she could catch him; as if she could save him. "Divine!"

She watched in absolute horror as he fell to the ground floor. There was nothing she could do for him.

And then the building was shaking again, more violently than before.

"Until next time, witch," Misty called even as she turned and somehow disappeared as she walked away.

"Aki! Come on, let's go!" Ruka cried anxiously.

"We have to get out of here!" the large man that was with them added urgently. He already had Rua under one arm and was trying to tug Ruka away, but his words were clearly directed at Aki.

Aki was too lost in her pain to really hear their words of concern. She was still staring at the open space of air that Divine had just, albeit briefly, occupied. _He…he's gone,_ her mind whispered. _The one piece of stability I had left…just…gone._

She felt as though she was frozen.

By the time she realized that she should be moving; getting out of the building as quickly as possible, it was too late. She'd barely made it to the staircase when it caved, and she found herself descending much more rapidly than she'd intended.

* * *

**She woke** up just a bit when she heard shouting. It was a man's voice; vaguely familiar, as well, but she wasn't sure who he was calling for. She struggled with herself to find her voice, and propel out the name of the man when she remembered it. She didn't want to die beneath a pile of rubble.

"Jack…" she called weakly, hoping she might have enough luck to be heard.

She thought she felt some of the weight above her shift and lessen, but she lost consciousness again before she could be sure.

* * *

**Yusei frowned** as the burning glow of his mark faded away once again. Something in his gut told him that things weren't as they should be, and his heart ached at the knowledge that he couldn't be there to support her. To protect her.

_Aki,_ he thought, _please be alright._

"So is it over, then?" Martha asked, having noticed as well that his arm no longer glowed brightly.

Yusei nodded silently.

"Did she win?" Saiga asked.

"I don't know," Yusei replied honestly, his voice catching faintly as he spoke. "I just know it's over."

Martha frowned, recognizing the tone of his voice. "What is it, Yusei?"

Yusei was silent for a long second, before he whispered, "I just wish I knew if she was ok."

"I'm sure she is," Martha said reassuringly. "Now come on inside; it's late and you still need to rest. You're not completely healed from that accident."

"She's right," Saiga added. "There's nothing you can do from here."

Yusei nodded, turning away from the open sky, and followed Martha and Saiga back into the house quietly. All the while, he kept worrying that something, somehow, was wrong.

_I have to get back,_ he resolved silently, _I have to see if she's ok. She'll be mad at me for disappearing like I did, but as long as she's alright…I can deal with anything else. I just have to know._

* * *

**"Well?"** Jack demanded as the doctor exited Aki's room. The twins watched from beside him silently.

The doctor slowly removed his face-mask and cast a sad look into the nearly-empty room. At length, he replied, "I don't know why she hasn't woken up, Mr. Atlas. She's in remarkably good shape, considering the fall you said she took. It's as if her mind is…resisting. As if she _wants_ to stay in a coma."

"But why?" Rua asked, not understanding the doctor's words.

The doctor sighed and looked at the group. "I'm afraid you'd have to ask her; I have no answers for you." Then he turned and walked away.

It was then that the door at the end of the hall slid open and two people Jack didn't recognize ran into the room. The man was dressed in a designer suit, and the woman behind him wore a simple but obviously expensive blue dress. The couple paid no attention to Jack or the twins as they waited impatiently for the door to Aki's room to slide open.

As they rushed in, Jack's eyes widened marginally as he heard the man call Aki's name, and the woman exclaim "My baby!" before collapsing beside the bed. He certainly hadn't expected to see Aki's parents.

"So those are her parents?" Rua asked rhetorically as they watched the couple sob beside Aki's comatose form.

"They must be so sad," Ruka commented quietly. "If only she'd wake up."

"I somehow doubt that their presence will be enough to wake her up," Jack stated bluntly.

"But, shouldn't her parents be able to get through to her?" Ruka asked, looking up at Jack searchingly.

"Not nearly," Jack began, "it would take someone who actually means something to her."

Suddenly, inspiration struck him, and Jack wordlessly let himself into the large room, leaving the bewildered twins to watch from the other side of the glass.

He approached Aki's parents calmly, and didn't speak until he was standing just a few feet from the hospital bed.

"My name is Jack Atlas," he began formally, earning the husband's attention. "And I may know of someone who can help your daughter."

"Who?" Aki's father begged, turning his full attention on the infamous duelist before him.

Her mother looked up as well, her eyes pleading with Jack from behind her tears. "Please, we'll do anything," she sobbed.

"His name is Yusei Fudo," Jack replied, looking past both of them to examine Aki's prone form. "And he's the only one I can think of who might be able to get through to her like this. But there is one small problem."

"What problem?" the Senator demanded.

Jack lifted his gaze to meet the Senator's and replied, "Yusei's in the Satellite right now."

Senator Izayoi's expression hardened in determination. "Then that's where I'll go."

* * *

**Yusei was** working again on his D-Wheel, talking to Saiga, when they heard the first sounds of the helicopter closing in. Both men looked up in surprise; helicopters were uncommon occurrences in the Satellite.

"Who do you think that is?" Saiga asked, calling out his question to be heard over the roar of the chopper.

"I have no idea," Yusei replied honestly as it touched down in Martha's yard.

It had barely touched the ground when the door slid open and an unfamiliar man in a business suit leaped out, shielding his eyes from the wind. He managed to lock eyes with Yusei and called out, "Are you Yusei Fudo?"

Saiga gave Yusei a curious look, silently awaiting his response.

"I am," Yusei called back firmly. He had no idea who this man was, and that made him nervous.

The man made a gesture and the helicopter cut the engine, though the pilot made no move to stand. Then their new guest straightened and reflexively adjusted his suit as he quickly approached.

"I need to speak with you, please," he said urgently. "Jack Atlas said you might be able to help me."

Yusei's eyes widened marginally at that unexpected declaration. _So Jack sent him? But who is he?_

"Well, if you need to talk, then please, come in," Martha insisted from where she stood on the doorway.

* * *

**They were** seated at Martha's old kitchen table, Yusei sitting opposite their unknown guest, with Martha and Saiga standing off to the side, before Yusei finally asked the pressing question.

"So who are you?" Yusei asked.

The man took a deep breath, resting his elbows on the table. Sadness descended over him, but Yusei remained silent as he waited for him to speak.

"I am Senator Hideo Izayoi," the man stated plainly.

Yusei's eyes went wide at the unexpected and familiar name. "You're Aki's father," he clarified.

The Senator nodded faintly. "Yes, I am…but I'm afraid I haven't been much of one."

Yusei's jaw set firmly and he glared at the older man. "No, you haven't. But what do you want with me?" His tone was considerably less than friendly, and said volumes of his current opinion of the man before him.

Hideo looked up from his clenched hands, looking desperate and pleading as he held Yusei's gaze. "Please, Mr. Fudo, I need your help. Or, I should say, _Aki_ needs your help. Jack said you have some sort of connection; that she might hear you…please, you have to help."

Yusei's anger faltered at Hideo's words. "Aki needs my help? Why? What happened?"

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**A/N:**_ Ok! I figured I could end it there; I mean, I'm pretty sure we all know how the rest of this conversation (at least more or less) is gonna go, right? LOL Anyway, I hope you liked it! Please review and read chapter twelve!!


	12. Dangerous

_**A/N:**_ Wow, we're up to chapter twelve already!! Thanks to all of you who've stuck with it this far! I know I was kind of jumping around a lot for certain scenes and such over the past couple of chapters, but I should be slowing down on that by the end of this chapter. As a matter of fact, if all goes as planned, I'll be wrapping up the story in the next chapter or two -it'll just depend on how far this one gets! But let's not get too ahead of ourselves, we've still got some good stuff ahead, so let's get to it, shall we? Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I think by now you know the drill….

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 12: Dangerous**

**The helicopter** raced toward Neo Domino City, with Senator Izayoi and Yusei sitting in silence behind the pilot. The Senator's eyes were downcast, and his palms were sweaty, but the young man beside him paid him no attention.

Yusei's mind was in chaos, as he tried to process everything that he knew, and piece together everything he didn't. He knew Aki's comatose state was undoubtedly a result of her duel with the Dark Signer, but even then, her father had said she was barely more than bruised; so it must have been something more than just the duel. _But what?_

He always came up short at that point, because the image of her lying in a hospital bed, in a coma, nearly made his heart stop. _If I had been there; if I had been with her, maybe I could've prevented this. Whether or not she lost the duel, I don't know, but whatever put her in that bed…I should've been there to stop it._

He knew, intellectually, that he'd hardly had a choice in returning to the Satellite and temporarily abandoning her; but he also knew that she didn't know that. He hadn't had the opportunity to speak with her since their duel in the Fortune Cup.

_What if I never get the chance again?_ some rebellious part of his mind pondered. He shoved the thought aside, locking it away and focusing his gaze, and his attention, out the helicopter window. They were over the city now, en-route for the hospital. But so far as Yusei was concerned, they weren't going nearly fast enough.

* * *

**Jack and **the twins looked over as the doors at the end of the hallway opened and Senator Izayoi once again rushed through. Walking at a less-than-casual pace behind him was Yusei, whose fists were clenched and jaw was tight as he approached the room.

"Yusei!" the twins cried, happy to see their friend, and hopeful that he could help.

The doors to Aki's room slid open obediently, and Yusei barely nodded at the twins before he laid eyes on the comatose girl, and followed her father inside. Jack fell in line behind him, with the twins right on his heels.

Once everyone was inside, Aki's parents stepped back several paces to give Yusei some space. Her mother was still crying, and Senator Izayoi looked as though he had tears in his eyes as well.

Jack stopped a couple of feet into the room, and pulled Rua and Ruka to a stop as well, so that they might watch silently.

Yusei paid no attention to any of this, however, as he approached Aki's bed. She was lying on top of the covers, looking as if she were merely sleeping; except she had wires taped to her head, to monitor her brain activity. And then he noticed the slim streak of tears that had slipped down the side of her face.

Silently, he removed the glove from his right hand and reached out, gently wiping away the tears.

He pulled his arm back slightly when it started glowing again, and noticed without surprise that her arm began to glow as well. Then he looked at her face, and couldn't suppress the smile when he saw her begin to wake up.

* * *

**Aki blinked** her eyes slowly open, feeling as if she'd been asleep for far too long. She couldn't remember at first where she was, though she knew instantly that she was not in her room. But before she could wonder much more, Yusei's familiar voice drew her attention.

"Hey," he said softly, with a trace of a hitch in his voice that she couldn't identify, "welcome back."

She looked over at him and pushed herself to a sitting position, barely even flinching when her movement tore off the wires that had been taped to her skin. She met his gaze, saw his smiling, relieved face, and automatically smiled back.

"Yusei," she greeted him, temporarily forgetting her anger and frustration. He looked so happy to see her, it made her heart speed up. But then she looked around, and her calm shattered at the sight of two people she hadn't seen or spoken to in years. "What are _**they**_ doing here?!"

"Aki, please," her father began pleadingly, taking half a step closer to the hospital bed.

But before she could snap at him, her memory finally kicked in, and her eyes went wide as her hands flew to her head, as if to banish the memory. "Divine," she whispered, to no one in particular, as she stared at the floor in horror. All she could see was the sight of him falling to his doom.

"He's dead; Divine is dead."

"Aki," Yusei called, reaching out to her, to try and offer her comfort.

She cut him off, suddenly angry again, and snapped her head up to look at him, rising and shoving him back as she did so. As she reached for her duel-disk and slipped it into place, she snapped, "Get away! Just leave me alone, all of you!"

"Aki, please, listen!" Yusei insisted, stubbornly ignoring her demand.

"Why should I?" Aki countered bitterly. "All my life I've been alone. Even when I think I've found a place where I belong -where I fit in- something always comes along to tear it all down again! I can't rely on anyone else. In the end, somehow, I am always left alone."

"I know life has been hard for you," Yusei argued, refusing to let her believe what she was saying. "But you're not alone, Aki; you have a place where you belong."

"No, I don't!" Aki cried vehemently, moving backwards to put some more space between them. "And I can prove it!" Here she held out her duel-disk and inserted a card into one of the slots, instantly blowing the hospital bed and equipment to the side of the room.

Yusei frowned and pulled his glove back into place. "You're wrong, Aki," he said calmly, holding her gaze without fear, "and I'll show it to you. If you want to duel, then let's duel."

"It's your funeral," Aki agreed darkly.

* * *

**The duel** was over; Yusei had won, and Aki had finally agreed to give her parents the second chance they'd been begging for. After all the dust had settled, the group had calmly made their way out of the hospital, and now they found themselves standing under the overhang of the entrance, none knowing quite what to say next.

Aki felt horrible for her behavior earlier, and though she knew no one was angry with her, she didn't feel as though that absolved her from it. She'd walked between her parents out of the hospital, with her father's arm wrapped around her shoulders, and though this was a feeling that she wished to get used to, he wasn't the only one who deserved an apology.

So as they stood there, she silently and gently pulled out of her father's grasp, and walked around him, to come up beside Yusei. Her movement garnered the group's attention, and Yusei looked into her eyes curiously.

"Yusei," she said softly, "I'm sorry; about earlier. I was just…too upset to think straight, I guess."

"It's ok," Yusei assured her, reaching out with his right hand and brushing back the long strands of hair that had fallen to obscure her face. "Besides, I expected you to be mad at me; I didn't get the chance to talk to you before I left."

Aki shook her head lightly and grabbed Yusei's hand, holding it tightly in her own. "That doesn't matter anymore; you came back when I needed you most."

"And I'll be here," Yusei vowed quietly, "from now on. Whatever we have to face, we'll do it together; whether it's against us as Signers, or us as individuals."

She smiled faintly and nodded. "I can live with that," she said. Then she stepped up close to him, ignoring their audience, and leaned up ever-so-slightly to press her lips to his.

Yusei leaned into the kiss on reflex, and planted his hands on her hips. Before he could forget himself entirely, though, he heard Jack's less-than-subtle throat clearing, and instantly remembered that her parents, and two impressionable children, were watching them as well.

They parted, both smiling softly, and Aki leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder briefly.

"I'll meet up with you tomorrow, then?" Aki said, remembering what they'd agreed upon during their walk down the hospital hallway.

Yusei brought his arms around her in a quick, tight, hug, and dropped his head to whisper into her ear, "I look forward to it."

Aki giggled just enough for him to hear, before they released each other and she stepped back, beside her parents. This time, she focused her eyes on Jack before she spoke again. "Thank you," she said sincerely. The former Duel King simply nodded and looked away.

* * *

**The next** couple of days blurred together for everyone, and soon the gathered group of Signers found themselves face-to-face with the prospect of going off to the Satellite in just a few short hours. Yusei and Aki were standing together on the veranda of Goodwin's mansion, watching the sunset thoughtfully. This was no ordinary sunset for them.

"It's strange to think that, this time tomorrow, we might not be around to see this," Aki said softly after several seconds of silence.

Yusei frowned marginally. "You can't think like that," he stated plainly. "We'll still be here tomorrow, and the day after that; because we have to be."

"But it's stupid to ignore the possibility that one or all of us might not come back from this," Aki argued quietly. "They already killed Divine…and Kiryu nearly killed you…anything could happen."

Yusei turned to face her and reached out, wrapping one hand around one of hers, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. When she looked up at him, he offered her a small smile and said, "We have an idea of what we're up against now. All we have to do is believe in ourselves, and each other, and we _**will**_ win."

Her lips twitched in an upwards direction and she nodded, squeezing his hand in return. "You're right," she agreed. "We can do this."

Yusei's smile grew slightly, and he turned to look out at the sky as the oranges, reds, and violets danced across the clouds. Angling their hands so that he could lace his fingers through hers, he said quietly, "Even so, I'm glad I get this time with you."

"Me, too," Aki breathed, stepping closer and leaning her head against his shoulder as they fell silent again, watching the sky slowly darken.

* * *

**Chaos had** erupted shortly after their arrival in the Satellite, and Aki had been forced to watch helplessly as Yusei's closest friends were used against him in a duel with the Dark Signers. Even with all of her powers, she'd been unable to save Martha as the older woman had fallen from the building above the duel. The Dark Signers had challenged them shortly after, and they had regrouped at Martha's to plan their attack. Now all that was left was to wait for the appropriate time.

Aki found Yusei sitting against the wall in the abandoned kitchen a couple of hours later. The lights were off; she couldn't see more than his silhouette against the darkness. He was leaning back, his head resting against the wall and staring blankly at the ceiling above him. His legs were bent and his arms rested on his knees. If he had any idea she was there, he didn't show it.

Frowning and biting her lip, Aki quietly crossed the room, avoiding the large wooden table, and settled herself beside him. He lifted his head when she sat down, and though he didn't actually turn to face her, she knew his eyes were watching her every movement.

She scooted up against his side and wrapped her arms around his right bicep in a gesture of comfort, and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It'll be ok," she whispered softly after a long second had passed.

He took a deep breath but said nothing, so she continued. "We'll find a way to save them all. You have to believe that."

He released a small breath and shifted ever-so-slightly to lean his head against the top of hers. "I know," he breathed at length. "Thank you."

"I'll be here for you," Aki promised softly, "just like you've been there for me."

Yusei shifted silently, letting his left leg drop to an extended position, and reached over to cover her clasped hands with his left and give them a grateful squeeze.

They fell into silence then, and Yusei drew on her presence to find the strength he knew he'd need.

* * *

**Yusei was** anxious as he ran towards the duel. He and Mikage had only narrowly made it out of their imposed prison, and he was truly grateful to Ushio for the help; but he had no time to show it. Whoever that Psychic Duelist was, he wanted something from Aki, and Yusei had no intention of letting him get it. _Aki,_ he thought as he ran, following the burn in his right arm, _be careful; be strong. You can do it._

Soon enough he could see the battlefield, and he spotted the twins watching off to the side, so he altered his course to join them. It didn't take him long at all to see what had them bothered, and almost immediately he saw the person responsible for the problem.

_It's him again,_ he realized, as he spied the Psychic Duelist from earlier observing from an opposite tower. Instinctively he knew that the man was responsible for Aki's reversion, and to get the real Aki back, he had to be taken out.

"Stay here," Yusei called to the twins even as he turned and sprinted around the makeshift arena. As he ran, he spared a glance at Aki, and ground his teeth at the lack of life he saw in her eyes. _I'll get you back,_ he promised silently.

Then he was racing up the metal stairs that led to his target, and he knew the confrontation was going to be difficult. And he didn't feel even a twinge of regret for what he might have to do to the man.

Even then, he hadn't expected his enemy to be Divine.

* * *

**He watched** silently as Aki picked up the locket and stared at it, her back to them. He saw her shoulders shake slightly and knew she was crying. It killed him to watch her break down like that, but he knew she needed a moment of peace. So he waited until the music from the locket stopped, and the soft click of the lid snapping shut reached his ears.

As she lowered her arm, still holding Misty's treasured possession, Yusei started forward. He reached her as she took a deep breath to try and stop her tears.

Dropping his left hand on her shoulder, he whispered, "Aki…" and gave her a small smile.

Aki looked up at him, tears still shining in her eyes, but couldn't bring herself to return the smile. Instead, after a moment, she let her eyes drift shut and stepped into him, bringing her hands up and clutching his jacket as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. He silently shifted his arm to wrap around her shoulders, bringing his other arm around her back to hold her close.

Rua cried out suddenly and Yusei looked up in time to see the sky light up, and he knew that their most dangerous battle was still ahead of them. He frowned and reflexively tightened his hold on the woman in his arms.

"Time to go already?" Aki mumbled, more as a statement than a question, without lifting her head.

"Yeah," Yusei replied quietly. "You gonna be ok?"

She drew in a deep breath before pushing up enough to look into his eyes, and this time there was a shadow of a smile curving her lips. "Mhm," she replied with a nod.

"We should get going," Mikage called firmly.

Silently, the couple stepped apart and turned to lead the way towards the symbol in the sky. After a moment, Aki slipped Misty's locket into a pocket, and then slipped her hand into Yusei's, lacing her fingers easily through his. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, glancing sideways at her briefly, but neither slowed their pace.

* * *

**Aki couldn't** breathe as she watched the battle in the sky. First Crow, and now Jack, had been reduced to one solitary Life Point. Yusei was essentially alone in the fight for the fate of the entire world. And she couldn't even focus on the duel, as she and Ruka were continuously instructing their dragons in their own fight against the King of the Underworld.

As Black Rose Dragon destroyed another swarm of monsters, Aki looked again up at the duel. Her heart faltered when Goodwin's Earthbound God aimed the same attack at Yusei that had taken Crow and Jack out of the duel. For the longest second of her life, she had no idea if he was alright or not.

"Yusei," she breathed, fighting back tears. The faint burning behind her eyes reminded her of the familiar burning in her right arm; the one that she never thought she would have missed until now.

And then Yusei drove through the cloud of smoke, and she realized he was alright. She smiled in relief, and one tear broke free even as she turned and ordered Black Rose Dragon to annihilate another round of creatures.

* * *

**Savior Star** Dragon swooped down, after catching the airborne duelists, and deposited his precious cargo onto the ground just a few yards from where the remaining Signers stood. With a final roar of triumph, he faded away in a shower of sparkling lights.

The twins cheered loudly, and even Ushio made an excited noise, and Aki heard Mikage mumble Jack's name as they faded into view. The three of them stood beside their D-Wheels, still wearing their helmets.

Aki felt the tension flee from her body as she laid eyes on Yusei once again. His right hand rested on top of his D-Wheel, and his left arm hung loose at his side. The mark of the Dragon's Head glowed brightly on its new resting place.

Yusei reached up then with both hands to lift the helmet off of his head, even as Jack and Crow did the same, and the action broke the strange spell that had settled over the group. The twins cried out again and bolted forward happily, leaping up to wrap Yusei in a double hug as soon as they reached him.

He laughed lightly and clapped a hand on each of their backs as he greeted them.

"Hey, what about me?" Crow suddenly piped up exaggeratedly, holding his hands out. "Don't I get a hug?"

As the twins grinned and shifted their attention to Crow obligingly, Aki stepped up to Yusei.

Yusei met her gaze, and his easy smile shifted ever-so-slightly into something more intimate, and the weight of everything they'd gone through in the past couple of days suddenly washed over her. Tears swarmed her amber eyes and she launched herself into his arms.

"Yusei!" she cried as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face beneath his jaw.

His arms came around her immediately and he held her close. "Aki," he breathed softly, "I'm glad you're alright."

"I was so worried," Aki mumbled with a small sniffle.

They held each other tightly for several long seconds, before Yusei's hold shifted and then he pulled her back calmly. She realized he'd removed the glove from his right hand even as he reached up and gently wiped away her tears.

When he was done, his lips curved upwards again and he ran his fingers lightly through her hair, as he had done so frequently when they'd been together two years before. Without breaking eye contact, or releasing her, Yusei said quietly, "Now that this is all behind us, there's something I need to tell you."

Curiosity and confusion taking residence on her face, Aki asked, "What is it?"

Her confusion mounted when he shifted his hold, his fingers skimming over her jaw-line before both hands settled on her waist loosely.

"Aki," he began softly, his voice gentle and yet determined, "I love you."

Amber eyes wide, Aki swallowed heavily as she struggled to remember how to breathe. Those were words she'd all but given up on, even before she'd met him. _To think I could be so lucky,_ she thought fleetingly as she released a breath and smiled happily up at him.

"I love you, too," she replied softly.

"That's good to hear," Yusei said with a soft laugh as he pulled her against him and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss.

Aki buried her fingers in his thick hair as she returned the kiss. She forgot to be surprised at his public display of such passion as warmth flooded through her when his tongue slipped past her parted lips. His arms had wound around her again, with the fingers of his left hand curving over her left shoulder, and his right hand curved around her right hip.

"Well, it's good to know that two years wasn't long enough for you two to get over each other, but really, is this necessary? You're making me ill," Jack called several seconds later.

Crow instantly began snickering, which quickly evolved into all-out laughter. "Way to go, buddy, you totally killed the mood."

Yusei loosened his hold on Aki as they parted, both breathing deeply and smiling.

"Thank God," Jack returned, rolling his eyes for good measure.

"C'mon," Yusei declared, holding Aki against him while raising his eyes to look around at his friends, "let's go check on the city."

* * *

**Yusei cut** the power to his D-Wheel, pulled his helmet from his head, and took a deep breath. It had been nearly two months since they'd defeated the Dark Signers and saved the world. Since then, the bridge connecting the Satellite to the city had finally been completed. The people of both sectors were still adjusting to the change, but so far it was going well.

However his purpose that night had nothing to do with any of that. He looked up at the elaborate building before him, a mixture of emotions running through him. It was Aki's family home, and this was the first time he'd ever actually been there. He and Aki had resumed dating almost immediately, and though for a while he'd been coming and going from the Satellite, they were managing extraordinarily well.

The door swung open, and Aki smiled and ran up to him eagerly. She reached him quickly and flung her arms around his shoulders, pressing her lips to his for a quick, sweet kiss. When she pulled back, she smiled again. "Hey," she said.

Yusei's lips curved up and he replied, "Hey yourself," as she stepped back and gave him room to lift himself off of his bright-red D-Wheel.

"So, are you ready for this?" she asked, half jokingly, as she caught his hand and began leading the way to the front door.

"Dinner with your parents?" Yusei asked rhetorically. "I don't know; I think I'd rather save the world again."

Aki laughed softly. "They're really not so scary, I promise."

Smiling down at her, Yusei replied, "I know."

"Well, I wouldn't be so sure," Senator Izayoi declared as he greeted them in the entryway. "I can be pretty intimidating, or so I'm told."

"Papa," Aki chided, rolling her eyes.

Mrs. Izayoi stepped into the room and offered the young couple a smile. "I hope you're hungry; dinner's ready."

_**To Be Concluded…**_

_**A/N:**_ Yep, you guessed it, I'm gonna be wrapping up my story in the next chapter! But before you rush off to read the end, why don't you take a moment to review this chapter first?? Pretty please?? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this installment!! Now, to remind you (it's been a while since I said this), obviously I will not be dealing with the events of season three really at all (there might be vague hints/references, I'm still not sure). If I tried that, this story would go on forever! LOL Now, go review, and then read the final chapter!


	13. Epilogue

_**A/N:**_ Alright! The final chapter is here!! I hope you've all enjoyed my story so far, and I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! As some of you may have guessed, this will probably be a fairly fluff-filled chapter (you know, what with the drama pretty well wrapped up and all); so I hope that's ok with you! It might also contain something else…but we'll just have to wait and see LOL. So, without further ado, please enjoy the final piece of the story!!

**Disclaimer:** For the last time: I do not own YGO 5D's! How many times must I repeat myself?? Sheesh….

**Entwined Destinies**

**Chapter 13: Epilogue - Destiny Fulfilled**

**Twenty-two **year old Yusei Fudo leaned casually against his freshly-washed D-Wheel as he waited patiently for his girlfriend of exactly four years to exit the large building before him. She didn't know he was meeting her there, but he had it on good authority that the remainder of her day was open.

In no time at all the doors opened, just as they'd been scheduled to, and a small stream of people began pouring out of the theater. Several people back from the front of the crowd, Yusei easily spotted the Izayois as they talked. Aki was walking on one side of her father, and her mother kept pace on his other side. Neither woman had seen Yusei yet.

As the crowd dispersed to find their vehicles, Yusei got a clear view of them, and his lips curved upwards automatically. Aki donned black jeans, a red spaghetti-strap tank-top, with a white belt and a white leather jacket; her hair was up in her usual style, the old power-inhibiter replaced long ago with a special barrette Yusei had bought for her.

Aki was engaged in conversation with her parents, and hadn't seen Yusei.

When they got near enough, Hideo came to a stop and smiled at his daughter. "Well sweetheart, I think this is your stop. We'll see you later."

Aki blinked, speaking even as she turned her head to see what her father meant. "What do you mean-? Yusei!"

His smile grew as their gazes locked. "Mind if I steal you?"

Returning his smile, Aki looked back over at her parents and thanked them for seeing the movie with her before she stepped off of the sidewalk and up to her boyfriend.

"Have a good day, you two," Mrs. Izayoi called as she and her husband walked in the direction of their waiting limo.

When they'd walked several feet away, Aki looked up at Yusei curiously. "I wasn't expecting to see you so early," she declared.

Yusei removed his hands from his pockets to plant them lightly on her hips as he replied, "Today's our four-year anniversary, did you really think all I planned was to take you to dinner?"

Aki smiled mischievously and slowly trailed her fingertips up over his chest before loosely looping her arms around his neck and saying, "Oh, well, I figured there might be some celebrating _**after**_ dinner, too."

Yusei chuckled and pulled her against him as he claimed her mouth for a hot kiss. His arms wound their way around her waist, slipping beneath her jacket, as she tangled her fingers in his hair. Their tongues danced for a long moment before they pulled back, fully aware of the countless strangers wandering around them.

"You never answered my question," Yusei stated after a moment, resting his forehead lightly against hers and keeping his voice low. Aki raised a curious eyebrow, so he repeated the question. "Mind if I steal you?"

Aki giggled, pursing her lips to try and contain herself, before she replied, "You can steal me anytime you like, Mr. Fudo."

A confident grin settling into place, Yusei replied, "I'll keep that in mind, then." Lifting his head, he placed a tender kiss to her forehead and reached behind him, stepping back to hold out his spare helmet. "I'm afraid you'll have to ride with me, seeing as you got a ride here with your parents."

Taking the helmet, Aki grinned and sighed exaggeratedly. "You're right; that's definitely a hardship."

Yusei chuckled quietly as he swung one leg over the D-Wheel and tugged his helmet over his head. Aki easily angled herself in behind him, helmet in place, and wrapped her arms around his torso securely.

"You ready?" he called over his shoulder a moment later.

With a smirk, Aki replied, "Definitely."

She felt him rumble with laughter as the engine roared to life, and in no time they were en-route to some unknown destination. She let herself relax and enjoy the ride, wondering with excited curiosity where he could be taking her.

* * *

**They rode** for nearly forty minutes before Yusei slowed and turned onto a side-road. Aki could see the green of the trees they were passing now, and her curiosity mounted as they followed the slightly windy road.

Several minutes later, Yusei finally eased the D-Wheel to a stop, having pulled to the side of the road on the off-chance someone drove by. They were surrounded now by tall trees and green grass on either side of the old road.

When they had dismounted and stowed their helmets, Aki turned to her boyfriend with one raised eyebrow. "Where are we?"

He gave her a charming smile and wrapped his hand around hers, leading her further from the road. "Come let me show you," he replied mysteriously. Aki followed willingly.

Soon enough, they passed the thin line of trees and Aki found herself standing in a real meadow with all sorts of flowers surrounded by somewhat tall grass. It was like something out of an old movie; it was absolutely breathtaking.

She stepped into the clearing slightly, her amber eyes joyously taking in the sight as she turned slowly in a tight circle. When her gaze finally landed back on Yusei, he was smiling knowingly at her.

"Yusei," she breathed, "it's beautiful. How did you find this place?"

Looking briefly around them, Yusei replied, "Crow told me about it, and before you ask, I didn't ask him how he knew."

Aki laughed softly and Yusei stepped up to her, gently brushing her cheek with his knuckles. "I'm glad you like it," he said honestly.

She reached up, covering his hand with hers, and shook her head. "No," she said, "I love it. Thank you."

He smiled again and dipped his head, covering her lips with his for a brief, sweet kiss.

* * *

**They spent** several hours in the field, sitting together and talking about the little things and the larger events happening around them. Aki would be graduating from the academy in less than a month and would finally be done with her schooling. Less than a month after that both of them, alongside Jack, Crow, and Bommer, were going to be participating in another Riding Duel tournament. And of course there was Jack and Carly's wedding, which was two days after Aki's graduation.

The couple was lying on the grass, in the middle of the field, when the sun eventually began its descent from the sky. Yusei was on his back, one arm crossed under his head, the other wrapped loosely around Aki's shoulders as she used his chest for a pillow. She was half-curled into his side comfortably, having drifted into silence a couple of minutes before.

Slowly releasing his hold on her, Yusei said, "Sit up for a second."

Aki lifted her head, curious once more, but complied with his request and pushed herself into a sitting position.

Yusei sat up as well and reached down to pick up his discarded jacket. Silently, he reached into an inside pocket for something, withdrawing his hand and the unknown object when he'd found it.

She watched as Yusei turned to face her and held out a long, narrow box covered in black crushed velvet.

"Happy anniversary," Yusei whispered as she cautiously accepted the offering.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Aki said on reflex; she gave him that lecture every year, and every year he ignored it completely. Then she carefully popped the lid open and sucked in a sharp breath.

Inside rested the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen. The chain was polished gold, and the pendant was crystal clear diamond, carved in the shape of a flower, and larger than her manicured thumbnail.

"Oh, Yusei, it's beautiful," she breathed as she lightly scooped it up in her hands. Looking up at him, she smiled with tears in her amber eyes and asked, "Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course," Yusei replied, easily moving to kneel behind her. Taking the necklace gently from her grasp, he laid it over her skin, clasping it securely behind her neck when she lifted her hair out of the way.

When he was done, Aki turned around, grabbing his face in her hands and pulling him down for a passionate kiss. He responded by pulling her against him and the fingers of his hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, dancing lightly across her soft, bare skin.

They pulled apart when their lungs began burning for air, and as she sucked in a ragged breath, Aki said, "Thank you."

Yusei chuckled, pulling her tight again for a quick hug before pulling them both to their feet. "You're welcome," he replied. "Now come on; we should head back if we want to make our reservations."

As they began walking back, Aki teased, "Dinner _**and**_ diamonds; you are definitely a keeper."

"Wait until you see what I have planned for dessert," Yusei returned with a smirk.

Aki laughed comfortably, lacing her fingers through his once more and adding, "I can't wait."

* * *

**Their rented** limousine pulled up to the restaurant at precisely seven o'clock, and Yusei climbed out first when the driver held the door open. Then he turned and helped Aki climb out as well, before thanking the driver and promising to call when they needed to be picked up.

As they turned to walk into the restaurant, Aki looped her arm through his formally and couldn't quite suppress the giggle. When he lifted a curious eyebrow, she said, "I'm sorry; I just still have difficulties associating you with 'formality'."

Yusei grinned. "Yeah, I have difficulties with that, too," he admitted. "But seeing you all dressed up is worth this," he added, gesturing down at his simple suit. He wore everything traditional but the tie, because Aki had told him long ago that he looked better without it.

Aki herself was dressed in a dark red dress that hugged her flatteringly, with off-the-shoulder straps and a low enough neckline to properly show off her new necklace. There was a slit on the right side that went up to her knee, providing her an extra bit of leg room.

She flushed and smiled at the compliment. "You know, I think after four-plus years you can stop trying to charm me," she teased.

"I'm just giving you my opinion," he assured her as they reached the host. Yusei then turned to give the man his name unnecessarily, and soon they were ushered down the hall and into the body of the restaurant, where their semi-private table awaited them.

* * *

**Dinner went** perfectly, and shortly after nine the limo dropped them off at the apartment that Yusei shared with Crow. Jack had lived with them until roughly three months prior, when he and Carly had purchased a house. Crow was out, probably spending the night with his own girlfriend, so the couple had the apartment to themselves.

Yusei unlocked the door and flicked on the light in the hall as Aki stepped inside. He followed her in and relocked the door before they began making their way down the hall. Yusei kept silent as they walked, staying behind her.

Several steps in, Aki gasped and looked down, realizing that she was following a path of rose petals. She stopped and turned to face him. "Yusei?"

He smiled, taking her hand in his and raising it gently to his lips. After he'd brushed a soft kiss over her knuckles, he lowered her hand slightly but did not release it, instead lowering himself to one knee as he extracted a small box from a pocket.

Her eyes went wide and she sucked in a breath, but she remained silent as she watched him.

Yusei easily flipped open the lid, revealing the sparkling diamond ring within.

She eyed it briefly before locking her amber eyes back onto his deep blue ones, holding her breath until he spoke.

"Aki Izayoi," he began softly, his voice washing over her like a caress, "I've been in love with you since I was fifteen years old, and I told myself I'd wait until you had finished school, but I'm not that patient anymore. So I'm asking now; will you marry me?"

Aki choked as one tear slid down her cheek and her lips curved into a bright smile. "Yes," she cried, dropping into his embrace fluidly, "yes; oh, Yusei!"

His strong arms wrapped around her and held her close as he pulled them both to their feet again. "I love you, Aki," he breathed against her ear.

"I love you, too," Aki whispered, clinging tightly to him as another happy tear slipped free. "I love you so much."

After a long minute, Yusei gently eased back and lifted her left hand before sliding the shiny ring on her ring finger. It sparkled in the soft lighting of the hall, much like her diamond necklace.

With her free hand, Aki reached up and wiped the tears off of her face. When he looked up at her again, she smiled, and then abruptly laughed.

"I'm sorry," she gasped after a moment of laughter, composing herself. "I'm sorry, it's just…all your great gifts…now I feel like I didn't get you enough." As she spoke, she dug into the purse that had been hanging off of her shoulder the whole time, and extracted a small, wrapped object.

He took it from her and carefully peeled away the paper, revealing a brand-new cell phone. It was exactly the style he liked, and it was perfect timing, since his current phone was doing its best to go the way of the dinosaur, despite all his efforts to revive it.

Looking back up at her, he smiled reassuringly. "I love it," he said.

"I'm glad," she said. "But compared to this," here she paused and held up her left hand, smiling softly again, "it sort of falls short."

Yusei chuckled, slipping the new phone into his coat pocket, and wrapped one hand around her waist while reaching out and supporting her left hand with his other, saying, "Aki, don't you realize that this is a gift for me, too?"

Aki paused, and smiled, looking back up at him. "I guess it is, isn't it?"

"Mhm," he replied, lowering his lips to hers again.

She responded eagerly, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around him. She squealed uncharacteristically when she suddenly found herself swept off the ground and into his arms. He chuckled against her lips as he began walking, leaving the mess of wrapping paper and rose petals on the floor in the hallway.

* * *

**"So I **take it you like the necklace?" Yusei teased as he propped himself above his new fiancée. She was lying beneath him wearing only the necklace and ring he'd given her earlier that day.

"Mm, you could say that," Aki replied seductively, dancing her fingertips lightly up his chest until she could curve her arms around his neck.

He chuckled faintly as he dipped his head and captured her lips for a slow, sensual kiss. She moaned against him and hooked one leg around his hip as he entered her slowly. When he was buried to the hilt within her, he broke from her lips to trail kisses along her jaw and down her neck.

Aki arched beneath him as he pumped in and out, increasing his speed gradually. She shifted her hold on him, wrapping her arms around his back and digging her nails in reflexively as he attached his lips to the nape of her neck and sucked gently.

Yusei murmured her name huskily, his lips grazing her ear, as he picked up speed, knowing that they were both nearing their climax. Aki moaned again, burying one hand in his thick hair and grabbing a fistful as she arched, taking him in deeper.

She screamed out when it hit, barely registering his own grunt of pleasure as the ecstasy washed over them both in simultaneous waves. After a long moment, he withdrew himself and collapsed onto his side, looping an arm beneath her to pull her up against him as he rolled. She rolled with him willingly; curling against his side and using his shoulder as a pillow, letting her fingers trace the muscles of his chest in comfortable silence.

"In the morning," Aki began almost lazily, "we should talk about setting a date."

Yusei rumbled with nearly-silent laughter, tightening his hold on her and angling his head to drop a light kiss on the crown of her head. "Sounds good," he whispered.

Aki made a sound of agreement and her hand slowly stilled as sleep overtook her.

Yusei smiled lovingly at the sleeping woman in his arms, before he shifted just enough to grab a corner of the comforter and tug it up and over their bodies without waking her. When they were properly tucked in, he let his eyes drift shut and allowed sleep to claim him.

* * *

**In the **morning Aki woke to the smell of coffee wafting through the apartment. She stretched and yawned before sitting up, holding the comforter to her chest out of habit, and glanced around her fiancée's room. He wasn't there, which meant he was more than likely the one who had started the coffee; especially since she couldn't hear Crow's unmistakable voice.

Quickly she tugged on her panties and then snagged one of Yusei's plain black T-shirts, which he rarely ever wore anyway, and slipped it over her head. The sleeves went nearly to her elbows, and the hem of the shirt went half-way down her thighs. Centering the diamond ring on her left hand, Aki smiled and made her way to the kitchen.

She found Yusei extracting two mugs from the cabinet, the muscles on his back rippling with the movement as he was wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants. She bit her lip and took a breath at the sight of him, finding her eyes attracted to the waistline of the pants and noting approvingly how low they hung.

"Hey there, sexy," she greeted after a second as she stepped fully into the kitchen.

Yusei half-turned, grinning at her as he set the mugs on the countertop. "Hey, beautiful; did I wake you?"

"Of course not," she assured him, stepping into his waiting arms and planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Good," he said. Tilting his head to the freshly-brewed coffee, he added, "Would you like some?"

"Please," Aki replied, releasing him so that he could prepare their drinks. "I think I'll go get comfy while you work," she added.

As she walked across the hall, to the small living room, Yusei called, "Ok. By the way, I like your outfit."

Aki laughed softly, calling back, "I thought you might." Then she curled up on the couch, leaning into the corner so that she would be facing him when he joined her, and pulled her knees to her chest comfortably.

Yusei took his seat on the couch a minute later, handing her one steaming mug of coffee as he sat. He watched her bring the mug to her lips and inhale the fragrance before blowing softly at the liquid and taking a tentative sip.

"So, you wanted to talk dates?" Yusei reminded, taking a sip of his own drink.

Aki smiled automatically and nodded, looking up to meet his smoldering gaze. "I think that's a good idea, don't you?" When he nodded, she asked, "Did you have anything specific in mind?"

He paused, clearly mulling over his idea for what was probably the thousandth time, taking another swallow of coffee before finally answering her question. "I was thinking about trying for after the Charity Tournament."

The Charity Tournament was an annual event where all the local duelists who were interested could enter, battling for a chance to duel Yusei, and the duelist who won the opportunity to duel Yusei also won the total of the entry fees for his or her charity of choice. The tournament was always held at the beginning of September.

That would put their wedding roughly four and a half months away.

Aki pursed her lips in thought. Taking another, larger, sip of her coffee, she swallowed deliberately and admitted the truth. "Honestly, if you wanted to sign the papers today I'd say yes; so after the Charity Tournament is fine with me."

Yusei grinned at her knowingly. He didn't altogether disagree with her statement. "I'd go for that in a heartbeat, but I know how much it would mean to you to have a big celebration."

Aki's smile grew and shifted, becoming brighter and softer; more delicate. "You are so perfect it scares me sometimes," she said matter-of-factly, setting her coffee down on the coffee table and shifting so that she was leaning up against his side, snug between him and the couch.

Yusei put his own mug on the table, wrapping one arm around her shoulders tightly, while gently tilting her head up to face him with the other. "I've told you before," he began, "I'd do anything to see you smile."

A thin layer of tears pooled in her amber eyes and she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before pulling back and opening her mouth to say something, but the next words to reach their ears didn't come from either of them.

Neither had heard the door open, but they heard it close even as Crow cried, "Rose petals?! Why the hell're there rose petals in my hallway?!"

Aki closed her mouth and bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter, as she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Yusei's neck.

Yusei held her tight, shaking with silent laughter, and called, "They would've been cleaned up if you'd stayed out as long as you'd said you would."

Crow appeared in the hallway, grinning and shaking his head, and offered up a shrug. "Yeah, well…we had a fight, and she told me to go fly away with my feathered friends, and so here I am." Heading into the kitchen to pour himself a mug of coffee, he added, "Consequently, I need a date for Jack's wedding."

With his back turned, he missed the look that Yusei and Aki exchanged, both grinning, before Yusei declared, "That's not the only wedding you'll need a date for."

Crow heaved a dramatic sigh, turning around to prop his elbows against the counter, and said, "What's the matter with you guys? Can't you slow down and enjoy your youth?"

Aki frowned exaggeratedly, and said, "Thanks very much, but we're enjoying our youth quite thoroughly."

Crow gagged, setting his mug on the counter, and covered his face with one hand. "And on that note, I'm gonna bail…you two give me nightmares, I swear." With a wave and a wink, their fellow Signer turned and slipped back into the hall. A moment later, the door clicked shut behind him.

The newly engaged couple remained on the couch for a short while, sipping at their coffee and discussing their plans. Though they had a lot to get done in the next few months, neither made any effort to move for a while; both perfectly content to enjoy the moment.

_**The End**_

_**A/N:**_ Whew!! It's _**done**_! Admittedly, this epilogue kind of ran away with me; I hadn't originally intended for it to be so long! But hopefully you enjoyed the sweet fluffiness!! (And the little citrus LOL). Please review and let me know what you thought, both about this chapter and the story as a whole!! And thank you for reading!


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